Complications
by The-Plot-Thinens
Summary: The Sequel of Complicated. A pregnant Rose Tyler Smith and the Doctor are finally back together after the ordeal on the game station. But now that the Doctor suddenly has a new body, can Rose accept this new Doctor as the same man she married? What does this mean for their marriage and the child that Rose is still carrying. A Retelling of Doctor Who season 2 with complications.
1. Chapter 1 - Who are you?

**Complications**

By The-Plot-Thinens

Chapter 01 - Who are you?

He was moving around the console, whoever he was. Rose hid herself slightly behind one of the coral struts and hugged it as if it where her lifeline. She could not understand what had happened. Rose looked at the brown haired man with uncertainty as to who they were. Then she caught a glance at something golden and looked at his hand. This man was wearing John's wedding ring! The one she had placed on John's finger that the Doctor had stopped wearing practically the second he changed back into a Time Lord. Rose was feeling a whole host of emotions bubbling to the surface as this man mucked about with the TARDIS, their TARDIS! She felt confusion and fear as to who this stranger was and the damage they had or could do. She felt the pain and sadness that came with being reminded that the Doctor had stopped wearing the symbol of their bonding. And lastly anger with a double serving of outrage was starting to flicker to life that this stranger was wearing her John's wedding ring. How dare they, where had they got it from? She wanted to rage at them but she was still too afraid as to what this person would do to her or what they could do or had already done with the Doctor. She was worried that enraging them might put the Doctor in more danger.

The brown haired man dashed to the console and flicked a few switches and checked the monitor. He was very involved in his task and did not seem to notice or care that Rose had just gone through the traumatic experience of watching her husband burn up and explode in a fiery ball of something. Rose had to fight back a hyperventilating breath as her mind still struggled to make sense of what just happened. She wanted to express some form of emotion but there were so many she couldn't decide which first, so she just watched the odd man instead.

"6 PM... Tuesday..." Said the man as Rose continued to watch while still half concealed by the coral pillar she clung to. The man turned a knob setting the time and date of the week and now it was onto the year and month.

"October... 5006... on the way to Barcelona!" Smirked the man as he straightened up and faced Rose, feeling quite proud of himself. He was grinning and couldn't wait to show his wife the honeymoon location he had picked. He had been given more time to spend with Rose thanks to her brave and crazily mad rescue. He knew that Rose deserved a reward for saving him and he was going to give her everything that she deserved and he had denied her for over half a year. They would make new memories as his new self because thankful, even though he had changed, he was relieved to find that he still loved Rose and wanted to be with her and their child. They were still the center of his world! Good, he was worried the change might have had a negative impact on his emotions. He would worship her like a goddess for as long as they had left together. His brain had no desire to think of or acknowledge her mortality or the likely mortality of their offspring. It would only stop him from what happiness he stood to have with his family. There was only one thing left, finding out what he looked like so that he would recognize himself in pictures and any mirror they happened on. As dreadful as this event usually was it could also be fun when he was adjusting to the new him. It was like getting a new surprise suit and trying it on for size. He had been trying to think only of Rose so he hoped that whatever he looked like was at least a bit more handsome than his last form. 'Oh, there was Rose.' He thought as he finally caught a glance at her tucked away and staring at him. And didn't she look just as interested as he was with his new form?

"Now then... what do I look like?" Asked the man of Rose, but he was too excited to give her a chance to reply before holding up a hand to silence her. Rose looked startled by the man but the man still engrossed in the new him declared,

"No, no no, no no no no no no no. No. Don't tell me." Rose looked completely beside herself on what to do, should she just keep watching to see what happens? The man started talking again and Rose focused back on him again, wary of any rapid movement he made, and he made a lot.

"Let's see... two legs, two arms, two hands... Smaller nose, thank Rassilon…ears, ehh, well it's all relative." Said the man as tweaked his ears and then tested his wrist and continued,

"Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle." He then placed his hands on his head and realized that he no longer had cropped hair and that it was in steady supply.

"HAIR! I'm not bald!" He cheered thinking that Rose would like that, it meant he might be a bit younger looking. 'Good, we might not get odd stares at the chippy anymore,' thought the man as he ran his hands through his hair. He preened and puffed out his chest to strut a bit. Rose did not look happy, the man did not notice, but continued to run his hands through his hair gleefully and felt the hair along the sides of his face.

"Oh - Oh! Big hair! Sideburns - I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin." The man then placed his hands over his body and noted that he wasn't as built as he used to be. Hopefully Rose wouldn't mind, he had very specific memories of Rose's fondness for his last body. But he could compensate for that in other ways. He felt tons of energy in this new body and that would have to make up for less of a frame for her to cling to, he thought saucily.

"Little bit thinner..." He said as he slapped his stomach and then noted,

"That's weird. Give me time, I'll get used to it." Then as he shifted his weight he realized that something was extra on his skin he did not notice before! And with the air of someone making a most wonderful discovery, he announced to Rose,

"I... have got... a mole. I can feel it." Rose started breathing heavily. The man's comment was making her scared and she didn't know what this man would do next. The way he just spoke made her very uncomfortable, like something scary in an alley way at night uncomfortable. Who was this person crazy and would they hurt her too, like they might have done to the Doctor? Unfortunately the man seemed to continue not to notice Rose's plight and persisted in unknowingly freaking Rose the hell out as he rotated his shoulder blades.

"…Between my shoulder blades, there's a mole. That's all right. Love the mole." Grinned the Doctor, he was 100 percent pleased with himself and didn't see how Rose would be anything else. You never know what you will get but he bet Rose would have nothing to complain about him in looks. He then finally turned his attention to Rose, which surprised her. Seeking her approval which he had no doubt that he would receive, he asked with a grin,

"Go on then, tell me. Tell me how fit I am." Still sure she would be pleased he stood straight up before Rose, ready for assessment. Which he was sure would be positive even with his hair was all ruffled.

"What do you think?" Smiled the man. He was finding that this body was quite optimistic and surely Rose was going to love the changes, how could she not? It's me, after all.

"Who are you? Asked Rose, more quietly and timidly than she probably wanted to sound in front of this stranger. 'Ohhh…' Thought the Doctor who seemed crestfallen, and slightly surprised at her remark. He had a panicked moment where he feared what was going to happen next, but optimism and survival mechanisms tamped down that fear. Trying to make her see the obvious was priority to any fears.

" I'm the Doctor. Your…" He held up his left hand and wriggled his fingers showing off the ring. This was no time for silliness, he was alive they should be celebrating. Perhaps the Doctor, in his regenerative haze had forgotten that unlike Time Lords, human identification was based on mostly visual and vocal aid. Rose could not sense the mind of a fellow Time Lord and identify them that way, no matter their form, like a Time Lord could. This was why it came as such a hard emotional blow to him when he saw Rose's reaction. He was then reminded of every time a companion had left him and began to fear.

Rose shook her head, not believing him and corrected the stranger,

"No... Where is he? Where's the Doctor?" Where was the man that she loved? Who was this person really? Where is her lover that she had been setting herself up just moments ago to snog the life out of, grab by his big ears and then take on the jump seat? There were too many questions and how dare this person call themselves the Doctor when he clearly was not? He didn't look a thing like him and she wanted him back! She wanted her mate and father of her child right now and in a voice steadily rising she interrogated,

"What have you done to him?" The Doctor was almost speechless at the rejection and needed, more than the air he breathed, to convince her that she was not being tricked and he was who he said he was. He just needed to explain things and make her see sense. It was very simple and he reminded her in a vulnerable voice,

"You saw me, I- I changed..." as he indicated over his shoulder to the spot where he regenerated as a visual aid.

"... Right in front of you." He finished in a voice hinted with insecurity.

'This is ridiculous' thought Rose. She might be a lower evolved human, but she had seen many things in her travels and she was not going to be fooled. She was not a naïve little girl and she was not going to be tricked by some alien who thought that he could pull a fast one on her. Whoever this person claimed to be, they were most certainly not the Doctor and they had done something to him. Stolen his clothing and was trying to replace him for who knew what reason, but it was most likely to do evil. Did they really think that just wearing his clothing would fool her? She had to save the day, the Doctor and the TARDIS from this invader. She vowed that she would have her Doctor back in her arms and rescue him yet again from this interloping thing that had... What had she seen by the way? She thought back to a few moments ago when she witnessed what looked like her husband burning to death and said,

"I saw him sort of explode, and then you replaced him, like a... a teleport or a transmat or a body swap or something. And now you're wearin' his ring. Where'd you even get that? I haven't seen it in months and the Doctor never wore it!" The last part sounding outraged and indignant. 'Right,' thought the Doctor embarrassed by his idea earlier that this would be an easy transition. His wife was a human and this was a new concept that would be even harder to explain than he had wagered. Humans did not usually like sudden changes as a rule and needed warning to prepare. And he had just started wearing the ring again out of nowhere, of course she would be suspicious of it on a 'stranger's' finger. What a pity if she had seen the ring on the old him's finger she probably would have been thrilled about it. Now it just seemed to be hurting and or teasing her by seeing it. Not exactly the reception he had been hoping for, but he had not been planning on living when he put it on, let alone Rose ever getting a chance to see it on him again. This added another level of trouble since wearing it had been so against his behavior. He wished things had not been so busy and fast before or she might have had time to notice the ring on him earlier, before he 'exploded'. The Doctor had hoped that this would go off without a hitch, but now he knew he had been too optimistic. Rose would of course naturally be loyal and faithful to the previous him and find it hard to just abandon the memory of the old him for the new him right away.

Rose did not believe that he was who he said he was, and she approached The Doctor as she gained confidence born of the fury of being denied her mate and friend. He did not interject; he was worried that any sudden movements would only upset his poor Rose more. He seemed lost for words. Rose took a few steps closer towards him and at arm's length; she pushed him in the chest.

"You're not fooling me." Glared Rose at the man she did not know, but she was obviously looking more vulnerable by the second as her fears began to pile up. The Doctor rocked back on his heels from Rose's push and just looked at her. Despite his earlier logic he still could not believe what he was hearing. Surely Rose would be able to put the pieces together and recognize him, even in one of his favorite Disney films, the girl had come to recognize her prince in just a few moments. And that had been a far greater transformation than he had just gone through in his opinion. But that was a fairytale, wasn't it? This was real life. He realized that he had changed and that alone would be hard to process, but he had hoped that his own wife would at least know that it was him, no matter what. This of course was an unrealistic expectation of Rose, but it still hurt the Doctor to be rejected by his wife based on his appearance alone. It wasn't like he usually got a say in how he looked, but he was still him, still the same man.

"I've seen all sorts of things. Nano genes... Gelth..." Explained Rose to the person she assumed was trying to pull a fast one on her. How dare he assume that the little human from the Level 5 planet would not notice that her husband had been swapped out with a pretender! And the ring was a nice touch to play on her sentiments, but she wasn't buying.

"Slitheen..." She said darkly as she took a step closer. That was the silliest thing that the Doctor had heard all day. And he raised his eyebrows at her as if to question 'Really?' However his jester was misread and in a panicked voice that she had nailed it on the head asked,

"Oh, my God, are you a Slitheen?" That would mean horrors for Rose because not only did that mean that her husband was dead but was having his skin worn by a monster! A monster that could kill and eat her and her child! And those aliens always had bright lights about them when they changed out of their suits. 'Was that what she had seen? Was that how they took over a body or whatever they did?' panicked Rose. Calmly, so as not to upset Rose any further the Doctor firmly declared,

"I'm not a Slitheen." Rose was now just being ridiculous. He was even thinner than he used to be now, even a baby slitheen would never fit in him. Rose was not taking any crap, she knew he was lying, even if he wasn't a slitheen he was something and not the Doctor. She wanted her Doctor back and in a voice that rose to a shout demanded,

"Send him back. I'm warning you, send the Doctor back to me right now!" Under other circumstances he would have been touched by this devotion and loyalty in Rose, but this was getting out of hand. He needed Rose desperately to understand what was going on and that he was who he said he was. He couldn't lose her to this, not after he just got her back and defied death to be with her and their child. Pleadingly the Doctor entreated,

"Rose, it's me. Honestly, it's me. It's old big ears me, can't you tell?", as he leaned forward in his urgency to make her believe him. Rose stared at him, her chest rising and falling very fast from the exertion of her shouting. It couldn't be, what he was implying was impossible and she wanted her handsome Time Lord back. Sure this guy was easy on the eyes too but she wanted the man that at least looked like the man she fell in love with and then fell in love with again. In a gentle voice the Doctor conveyed the critical information that would determine, based on Rose's reception, where their relationship went from here. The fear that she would never come to accept him was becoming very real now.

"I was dying. To save my own life I changed my body. Every single cell, but... it's still me." Rose didn't know what to think. She knew the Doctor said that he was dying and if what this man said was true then the Doctor was standing in front of her with a new face and even all new cells. If what he said was true then the man she knew and loved was gone. Or was he, was it just that he was gone and this he was here now? Oh, this was a headache to get one's mind around. Not knowing what else to do or believe Rose looked at him with the most timid and vulnerable face as she whispered,

"You can't be." The Doctor could see that his words were starting to get a little through to her, but there was still some denial and he needed to drive the point home that he was who he said he was. The Doctor took a few steps closer to his wife and looking straight down into her eyes, he asked solemnly,

"Then how could I remember this? As a human, I saved your life with a cricket ball and the word I said to you when you were trapped in that cellar. Surrounded by shop window dummies... oh..." He looked away for a moment, reminiscing and lost in the memories of all the times they had spent together. Then he looked back into her eyes lovingly and with such devotion,

"... Such a long time ago. I took your hand..." And to emphasize this point, he took his wife's hand just like he did when he had saved her from the plastic dummies. Rose glanced briefly down at their joint hands, both wearing a ring, and how despite the unfamiliarity, how familiar it felt. She then looked back up into the man's face who claimed he was the Doctor.

"I said one word... just one word, I said... 'Run'." He said as he gazed at her. Rose looks into his eyes, her own full of tears. That was the word that she had heard and heard all the time from him. That was the word that only the two of them would know when it was first used. This man somehow and against all of her logic was most likely her husband, the…

"Doctor." She asked the man in disbelief with a searching look on her face. Her eyes darting to the ring and then back to his face. She was looking for a resemblance in the seemingly ancient eyes that this younger man was looking at her with. Were they the same? Maybe, she didn't know, she wasn't thinking clearly. She just needed time to process. She was trying to see her blue eyed hero somewhere in that big haired, brown eyed body he was now claiming to be inside. His mannerisms were just so different now. Happy that it looked like she was finally getting it and coming around to the fact that he was who he said he was, The Doctor grinned and replied with a simple and heartwarming voice,

"Hello." Rose sighed in an almost exasperated fashion as she stumbled backwards. The full impact of what had just happened finally hit her, it was just so hard to believe. This was as alien as it got, and Rose didn't know where to bring her thoughts first as she pondered what this meant and implied about her future. The Doctor was in there, she thought, but was a completely different looking man. It was a good thing that they lived in the TARDIS now, what would people say if they saw a different man living in their house at the university. Why was she thinking of something that stupid now? She had other concerns than what the neighbors thought. How could he do this to them, and if he had to why couldn't he have at least warned her that this was a possibility. Well maybe that was too harsh, no one usually knew when they were going to be fatally wounded… But she was fast realizing how little information that the Doctor ever entrusted to her. She knew more about his fake and manufactured life as John then she did about the Doctor's real life or nature. That realization hurt her. Maybe this was appropriate, since he was, in every bit a virtual stranger to her, then maybe he should look like a stranger from John too. What would it have been like for them if he had done something like this the second he had gone back to being the Doctor? Would she have followed him then? Would she have thought John was truly dead? All of this was circling in her head as her brain fought between the idea of accepting this was the Doctor and flat out denying it. The Doctor didn't give her time to react or rather time to see her reaction to that bit of news. Perhaps The Doctor wanting to give Rose a little air to breathe took off around the other side of the console and began fiddling with it. No time to think about the glaringly obvious problem they had to face, they should be off into the next adventure right away! Before Rose realized that she could and probably might want to leave.

"And we never stopped, did we? All across the universe. Running, running, running…One time we had to hop. Do you remember? Hopping for our lives." Asked the Doctor as he finished with the console controls and began to hop on one leg. He hopped madly up and down on the spot, he was excited but Rose clearly was not. Just confused on how to feel. Her husband was dead and not dead. She was clearly in no partying mood like the Doctor and Rose leaned her back against the coral pillar next to her for support as she just watched him move about. She needed air and she really wanted her leather clad Doctor with the cropped hair to magically appear and hug her.

"Yeah? All that hopping? Remember hopping for your life? Yeah?! Hop? With the..." Cheered the Doctor but his wild enthusiasm ebbed from his voice at Rose's lack of reaction. This very quickly put the wind out of his sail and he settled down. His hopping subsided too.

"... No?" questioned the Doctor meekly.

"Can you change back?" asked Rose very carefully with her heart in her throat and in a scared voice. She loved the Doctor but this was a big surprise and even bigger than when he had turned into a Time Lord. At least then he still looked the same and now she wanted her familiar Doctor back if it could be managed. She didn't know if she could take it otherwise. She might fall apart already thanks to the situation. She needed to see her blue eyed man again, how could she lose him twice? He couldn't leave her and the baby… and change, even more so than the last time, again! Could he at least have warned her that this could happen?

"Do you want me to?" Asked the Doctor in an insecure voice, wanting to calm and put her heart at ease.

"Yeah." Said Rose a bit too quickly to not hurt the Doctor's feelings. She just wanted things back to 'normal'. Well as normal as they ever were. She was just so scared and confused. She had never been told to expect this sort of thing to happen she parroted in her head again. The Doctor had never mentioned it to her even in passing. So understandably she was acting on instinct to protect her mind from unlikely and unexpected events of the 'death' and 'rebirth' of her husband.

"Oh." Answered the Doctor a little hurt and disappointed that he wasn't good enough as he was. He had naively hoped that she would like the new him, but again humans couldn't read minds like Time Lords. All the Time Lord cared about was the mind and the casing was irrelevant. No more a dramatic thing than putting on a new suit. 'Guess we really did love each other for our minds.' Mused the Doctor. But it wasn't about him it was about Rose and making her comfortable, he had to do what he could to put his human bride at ease.

"Can you?" Asked Rose with hope and vulnerability in her voice. Perhaps the Doctor could pull through and put himself back in the proper order. The Doctor could do anything. Surely, he could bring back the body with the blue eyes that she knew, loved, and had made love to. The Doctor saw and heard the hope in her being and he desperately wanted to please his distressed wife. He wanted her smile back so they could get on to the business of traveling through time and space together…and making plans for the little one. Who still needed a checkup.

The Doctor tried to do just that, put himself back to the way he was. He looked about in his mind and body for a means to accomplish what his love wanted him to do. He in the course of seconds, checked half a million times and found no way to get his old big ears body back. Female Time Ladies had always seemed to have more control over how they looked after regeneration, but he had never seen one of them change back to an old form. That was a bit like putting on a worn out old dress and they had never wanted to do that. Where was the fun?

"No." The Time Lord had to admit to Rose. At this news Rose despaired now that knew she would never see her big eared hero again. She was an emotional train wreck, she lost her husband twice now and she didn't know what to expect from his supposed replacement.

The Doctor was very disappointed when he realized this. He had never really thought about changing back or trying to in the past, he had never really wanted to. It was always fun getting a new body to try out. Well a few times it had been scary but for the most part he usually liked the results once he got use to them. He glanced briefly down at the floor. Very depressing thoughts began to circulate in his head. She didn't want him this way. She wanted the old him and to change back, which he couldn't do for her. It was beyond his power to do so in order to make her happy. That body was burned up and gone and that was the one she was longing for, whatever he looked like it obviously wasn't what she wanted to see. And this personality as she had seen it now was not what she wanted either. With heavy hearts he asked her the most painful question. He didn't want to ask it but for her sake and happiness he wanted to get it out of the way, since this him was probably only upsetting her more just by standing there. In her Doctor's clothes and wearing her husband's wedding ring. In his place where she wished another man was.

"Do you want to leave?" He asked quickly and too scared to hear the answer.

"Do you want me to leave?" Asked Rose shocked and a bit hurt that he might want her to leave now that he had changed again. Maybe now that he had changed she wasn't good enough for him. Maybe her struggle to accept him was too tasking for him… What was going to happen to the baby now? She was confused but her instincts were telling her do not leave the TARDIS. The TARDIS might have also been giving her some comforting vibes, though a bit diminished since she had been through a big ordeal too and was currently navigating through time and space.

"No! But... your choice... if you want to go home to Mum..." Assured the Doctor very quickly, he didn't want her to get the wrong idea. He in no way wanted her to leave. He wanted Rose to stay but he didn't want her to be trapped or feel like she was being held captive by a stranger. He wanted this transition to be as easy as possible for her. And above all he wanted her to, in the end, decide to stay with him and continue on loving him. As he wanted to continue loving her.

Rose still looked upset at the mention of home. It was like she didn't know what to feel or think. She was conflicted she wanted to stay on the TARDIS with the Doctor, but she was still feeling like she should be asking herself, where was he? Even though he was supposedly right in front of her. The Doctor didn't want to distress his wife any further. It didn't do him any good to see her so upset, it didn't do her any good to be upset and it certainly didn't do the baby any good. Resolutely he turned to the console and began to reverse direction of the TARDIS. The Doctor ultimately determined that Rose probably was no longer in the honeymooning mood. Which was understandable since she was still looking at him like he was a stranger. 'No one wants to honeymoon with a stranger.' Thought the Doctor with pain that Rose no longer recognized him or at least was struggling to. What if they were never the same again? This must have been how Rose felt with him when he first changed. You don't know what to expect or hope for. What if Rose never wanted to hold hands again, or kiss, or other married things with him again? He had been starting to warm up to that idea of married things. What if they could no longer raise their daughter together like he had hoped for before he had changed? 'Poor Rose, this must be devastating. To her it must have been like replacing your husband with another man…which I sort of did…maybe…it was complicated.' Pondered the Doctor as he gazed at his Rose still floundering at the situation. Anyway, Rose needed familiarity now and as much as he 'loved' checking in on Jackie, he knew that Rose needed her mother now more than anything at this moment…even him.

"Cancel Barcelona. Change to... London... the Powell Estate... ah... let's say the 24th of December." Said the Doctor softly as Rose quietly approached him, he then looked at her and timidly smiled,

"Consider it a Christmas present." Rose continued to edge slowly closer to the console as the Doctor put in the last coordinates. He had all the sadness and insecurities of a wet puppy in the rain.

"There." He announced to the room quietly. He then stepped back, his arms tucked under his armpits in an almost defensive manner. He was trying to protect himself from something. Was it his own emotions that wanted to cry for Rose to accept him? Was it the fear that things would never be the same again? Would this interfere in him being able to help raise his child, well technically his last body's child, but it was still all his. And he loved it and wanted to be there for it. Or was the real reason that he was bracing himself was for his fear that as soon as the TARDIS landed that Rose would bolt out of the TARDIS and never come back? Would he have to chase after her and beg her to give them another chance to see if she could eventually come to love him as he was now, with whatever new quirks he had? Would she want him to chase after her? Maybe she might need some air but she might still want to talk…but what if she didn't? Well they were going to find out soon enough, the TARDIS was on her way. Rose looked at him, then back at the console. The TARDIS shuddered as it changed direction.

"I'm going home to Mum?" Asked Rose in an unsure voice. Was he sending her home now? Was this goodbye? These thoughts flashed across her mind, but then the Doctor started talking again. The Doctor finished the coordinates and crossed his arms. He felt like he wanted to cry from just the thought of what was possibly and most likely to follow. If only they could have read each other thoughts, they would have realized just how much their fears were on the same page.

"Up to you. Back to your mum... it's all waiting. Fish and chips, sausage and mash, beans on toast- no, Christmas! Turkey! Although... having met your mother... nut loaf would be more appropriate." Joked the Doctor, keeping the mood light and holding himself with his arms. He was afraid of what was to come. Completely terrified now that Rose was going to leave him, just step out of those doors and they would then part ways forever. The same poisonous and insecure thoughts kept circling in his large mind. What if she didn't want him to be around the baby? What if this was it? He hid the hurt inside him as best as he could, he had to put his own feelings aside for whatever made Rose happiest. This was the curse of regenerating, some humans could not take it and would simply leave him. Oh he prayed to whatever would listen that she would stay with him. He could not lose Rose, not like this. He loved her and their baby too much to lose them just because he was forced to change when he didn't want to. He needed to make a connection with Rose, like they used to, a link to the past and his past self that they could latch on to. He saw a hint of hope when his last comment about her mother made Rose divert her eye down quickly, to hide a smile. 'Got ya, made ya laugh! Time for some of the old Doctor and Rose cheerful banter, maybe see if an innuendo can't be slipped in too.' cheered the Doctor to himself as he asked with a lopsided grin,

"Was that a smile?" Rose, like it or not, was still more in the mindset to reject and not connect or interact with this 'new Doctor' like she had with the old one. It was a defense mechanism against the sudden change, but she had to acknowledge to herself that in spite of the situation, that had been a funny and very Doctory comment about her mother. Stubbornly and dismissively she answered the negative. The Doctor was having none of it now that humor was helping to save their connection to each other and he knowingly stated,

"That was a smile..." Rose still not wanting to admit that the mood and attitude towards the two of them was changing, she denied again that she had smiled.

"You smiled..." Smirked the Doctor teasingly. He would have her see that they could still go along as they always did.

"No I didn't." Said Rose again with a guarded expression on her face. She just wasn't ready to accept the situation yet which also meant accepting that her blue-eyed northern sounding Doctor was gone forever. The Doctor was now getting a little impatient, despite his decision to be patient with her, for Rose to put it together. He was who he claimed he was. And she was just being stubborn now in his eyes, forgetting for a moment how odd this all was for a human, he almost whined,

"Oh, come on, all I did was change, I didn't—" but he could say no more. He suddenly gagged as the TARDIS began to shudder. Rose looked at him questioningly, she knew that her thoughts were distracted but she had not caught that last bit. It had sounded like gobbledygook.

"What?" Questioned Rose for clarity, the last thing she needed now was a communication error with this man. She was having enough of them as it was. The Doctor didn't know what that was before either. Must have been a fluke. More clearly he tried to say,

"I said I didn't—," only for the same thing happen again, but this time more violently. The Doctor started to make a nasty retching noise and he was becoming increasingly worried. This could only mean one thing and he had hoped to avoid it or at least hold off something like this for a bit longer. At least long enough so that Rose wouldn't be left feeling alone, confused and completely scared out of her mind at him or for him.

"Uh oh." Groaned the Doctor as Rose edged cautiously around the console towards him. She wasn't completely sure who this person was or what they were about, but her concerned nature and desire of being helpful powered through. Despite all the strikes against this person as far as trust went, because if this was the Doctor then not telling her that he could turn into a completely different looking person was a breach of trust, she was still concerned for his well being.

"Er... are you alright?" She asked taking a step forward toward the Doctor. A strange looking golden vapor, which was in fact a piece of golden time vortex, issued from the Doctor's mouth. It then dissipated into the air in front of Rose. Rose observed it curiously and with confusion.

"What's that?" She asked again, having no clue what was wrong. The Doctor now knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was starting to suffer from regeneration sickness and it was most likely only going to get worse.

"Oh... the change is going a bit wrong and all." Sputtered the Doctor in fear. He gagged again and fell to his knees, his face contorting with pain. Rose's eyes filled with concern for the man and she longed to have someone else who might know more about Time Lords, aliens, anything more than her. She wanted the man who was like her big brother, and had been such a source of comfort, to be here to help and make her feel better. To assure that everything was going to be okay.

"Look... maybe we should go back. Let's go and find Captain Jack, he'd know what to do." Suggested Rose as she tried to be the voice of reason.

"Gah, he's busy! He's got plenty to do rebuilding the Earth!" Stated the Doctor impatiently and indignantly. Why was she suggesting going back to Jack when they were so close to reaching their new destination?

"I haven't used this one in years." Mused the Doctor as he flipped a lever on the console that suddenly caught his eye. As soon as he flicked it, The TARDIS shuddered violently and they both were nearly knocked off their feet. Rose was violently thrown against the console but had managed to land on her side. Rose was now worried not only for the Doctor in question, but for herself and her unborn child. Angry that the Doctor could be this thoughtless she growled in both shock and anger,

"What're you doing?!"

"Putting on a bit of speed! That's it!" Said the Doctor crazily and almost not even paying attention to Rose. He turned more knobs while Rose tried with all her might to maintain a more secure grip on the console. The Doctor was not pleased with how his TARDIS was performing and flipping more switches he spoke to the TARDIS,

"My beautiful ship! Come on, faster! That's a girl!" The TARDIS began to violently pick up speed as the Doctor fiddled at the console. Rose began to look distinctly alarmed as she noticed just how much The Doctor looked and sounded violent and crazed. She was afraid of him and she didn't know what he would do next. She had never been so afraid of him in her life and it chilled her to the core. Oh, how she felt alone and helpless right now. She was completely at this crazed person's mercy and she just had to pray that he didn't kill them all.

"Faster! Wanna to break the time limit?!" Growled the Doctor in excitement. Rose had to try to gain some form of control over the situation and the man in front of her. Maybe if he saw how angry and scared she was then he would stop if he really cared.

"Stop it!" Screamed Rose in anger and fear. The Doctor did not seem to be moved or paying her much attention.

'Why was Rose being such a wet blanket?' Thought the Doctor through a crazed haze. 'I wouldn't have married such a timid creature even as a daft human!' he scoffed to himself. They were both alive and should enjoy it by throwing themselves into a situation that might kill them. It only made sense. Besides the TARDIS would never let Rose or their baby get hurt, what was the worry? She was just getting all excited over nothing when the speed was what she should have been excited about.

"Ah, don't be so dull - let's have a bit of fun! Let's rip through that vortex!" Shouted the Doctor slightly nastily and still crazed. Suddenly the Doctor felt the mind of the little tendril of life that Rose carried inside her. It was sensing that its mother was distressed as well as its father. He was choked up at how it was grasping at their minds for reassurance. He was sad that at the moment he was in no state to offer such mental comforts to his upset child. The Doctor turned his head to Rose, finally managing to catch her eye for a moment through his regeneration haze and saw that she was indeed scared and his hearts ached with guilt and concern for her as well. His voice calmed and in a moment of clarity he warned his Rose,

"The regeneration's going wrong. I can't stop myself. Tie yourself down! Things will be too rough for you or the baby otherwise." The Doctor then grimaced in pain. His head felt like it might split in two and clutching his hands at the console he groaned,

"Ah, my head..." Unfortunately the Doctor had now lost all his control and he violently sprung up into a standing position again. His voice had gone back to being crazed with a thirst for speed. His eyes were wide and crazy with the whites of his eyes as exposed as they could be without popping out of his head. They couldn't go fast enough, he was obsessed with that idea, and it was all he could think of. Faster, faster, faster!

"Faster! Let's open those engines!" He crowed with his arms stretched out wide. Suddenly Rose heard a bell ring that she never had heard the TARDIS sound before. Rose looked around, frightened and confused she asked what that sound meant. The Doctor all too delighted to answer, laughed manically as he appeared next to her,

"We're gonna crash land!" He continued to laugh which Rose did not find amusing at all and terrified at the idea of crashing in a time and spaceship when an airplane crash was bad enough.

"Well then, do something!" Shouted Rose over the warning sounds of the TARDIS as she scrambled over to the jump-seat which now appeared to have a seatbelt on it that resembled one you might see in a race car. There was nothing she could do now, but buckle up and protect their baby as best she could. She silently thanked the TARDIS as she strapped herself in and watched the Doctor manically move about the TARDIS seemingly happy that they were about to possibly die in a TARDIS crash. Was this how crazy the Doctor could get if he just changed his face? She knew she married a mad man but this was just nuts. Raising his voice to a hysterically level than Time Lord explained,

"Too late! Out of control!" He then started running around the console, giggling like a little boy.

"Oh, I love it! Hot dawg!" He cheered as he hopped in the air excitedly.

"You're gonna kill us!" Screeched Rose in fear and disbelief of the Doctor's actions. If it really was the Doctor left in there. Rose braced her stomach and prayed that somehow they might survive this.

"Hold on tight, here we go!" Cheered the Doctor like a little boy at the sweets shop. Their eyes met across the way, the Doctor was grinning madly, and Rose was looking back at those eyes very scared.

"Christmas Eve...!" The Doctor manically grinned as they came in for a crash landing. Rose realized that if she wanted to have any hope of survival she would have to start believing that this crazy man was the Doctor very quickly. Because only the Doctor could get them out of this situation alive now.

**Author's Notes:**

Hope I got this right, starting a new story always makes you a little nervous. Rose spent enough time working to get the Doctor and her relationship back to the way it was. Only fair that now the Doctor should have to work for it too in this relationship. Jeez I hope they survive the crash, oh but we are early for Christmas in July aren't we? Holy cow I've been writing fanfiction for over a year now… I don't know what's more amazing…The fact that I've been doing this for so long or that I was able to keep an audience for that long. Well I hope that I made your lives nicer for a year just a little bit. Oh, who am I kidding I probably just made it more frustrating when you had to wait for updates. Well at least they came pretty frequently. If anyone would like to tell me what they liked best about the last story I told, I wouldn't mind.


	2. Ch 2 - Dropping in for Xmas

**Complications**

By The-Plot-Thinens

**Chapter 2 – Dropping in on the in-laws for Xmas**

Jackie was decorating the flat for Christmas. Although this was supposed to be a happy time, she felt more like she was just going through the motions and doing it all just as ceremony. She really didn't have much to celebrate lately. Even Christmas shopping, which she usually loved, had been heart wrenching. She had for a bit been able to convince herself as she was shopping that Rose would be back soon and found some pleasure in deciding what Rose would like to wear, but as soon as she got to the register to ring it up she had started to get teary. It was an awkward moment for the cashier and she felt sorry for him after the fact. She'd even on a good day had been optimistic enough to go shopping at a baby clothing store, and had bought something cute and white for her grandbaby to wear. She had even managed to joke to the store attendant that her daughter was going to have the loveliest baby as long as they took after their mother, as the father was an ugly old gargoyle. The attendant had made a crack about guessing her daughter didn't marry for looks then, and Jackie had laughed with him. But later when she had started wrapping presents the idea that the baby clothes and little shoes she bought might never get worn made her break out some booze from the liquor cabinet.

The white plastic Christmas tree was now up and Jackie had finished putting the glass decorations on it. She remembered that when Rose was little she had to put away the glass ornaments for a few years until Rose was old enough not to break them, and wondered if she would have to do that again when the baby started walking around. She took a deep breath and walked away from the tree to grab the presents that she wanted to put under it. She placed a few presents for friends that she planned to have over the next day for a few hours, but then she came to the two that she had been putting off. She looks at the two of them. One is for Rose, and the other filled with newborn clothing for a baby. If Rose was coming back it would still be a few months before her due date, which Jackie had guesstimated, but it was never too early to spoil your grandbaby. If their mother was still alive, if not then Jackie had lost two more members of her family. She gazed wistfully into the distance as her eyes eventually settled on a handmade Christmas decoration that Rose had made out of clay and then fired in art class when she was six.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Mickey's work at the repair garage, he was doing his best to make merry with his coworkers as they worked on various cars. Mickey was feeling a bit down lately. It was Christmas tomorrow and he was missing his friend and Ex-girlfriend, Rose. He never found out what had happened to her. The radio was playing Christmas carols loudly as the men worked at their noisy trade, but suddenly Mickey thought that he heard the sound that he had been longing to hear for months now! Not sure if his mind and ears were playing tricks on him, Mickey shouted,

"Hey, turn that down. Turn it off, Stevo. Turn that off! John, shut up!" He listens and it was the same familiar whooshing sound. Needing no more encouragement Mickey ran out of the repair shop and chased after the noise. Little did Mickey know that Jackie too had heard that noise and knew it could only mean one things. She desperately called out her daughter's name and raced after the sound too.

* * *

The two were happy to see the other, it confirmed that they both were not crazy and they had in fact heard the familiar engines. Meeting up in front of the Powell Estate, Mickey and Jackie embraced.

"Mickey!" Shouted Jackie to which the young man responded,

"Jackie, it's the TARDIS!"

"I know, I know, I heard it. She's alive, Mickey. I said so, didn't I? She's alive!" Cheered Jackie elated that she would get to see her daughter again and soon enough see her grandchild as well. Jackie was overcome with excitement and poor Mickey's ears were having trouble hearing over her cries of joy. Raising his voice he shouted,

"Just shut up a minute." The two then were silent. They listened and looked for the blue box that they wanted to see. The only problem was that they were not seeing it appearing before them and Jackie feeling very confused questioned,

"Well, where is it then?" She did not have too much longer to wonder after that as the TARDIS suddenly came out of the vortex in mid air above their heads. The TARDIS then bounced off one block of flats, a second and a third before avoiding a post office van and finally crashing into a set of waste bins. The TARDIS had nearly clipped off their heads and Jackie and Mickey barely had enough time to duck. This was not a normal landing by their memories and they worried that something was wrong. The two rushed over to the TARDIS fearing that something terrible had happened.

* * *

Inside the TARDIS Rose opened her eyes which she had held tightly shut as she clasped at her restraints. She was not dead. She and her baby were not dead. They had been crashing and banging around but she was very much not dead. 'Well what about the Doctor?'Thought Rose as she looked around the TARDIS. There, picking himself off the floor, and apparently cushioned by some cables was the Doctor. He seemed dazed at first since he most likely had his brains jarred in the crash, and began to cheer at the 'successful' landing. As soon as he got on his feet he ran to the door shouting,

"Gotta make sure it's right! Rightity Right!" He didn't seem to remember anything or anyone other than that he had to make sure that it was Christmas and that he had the right time and place. Rose tried to get up and run after him, for she could tell he was not well, but she was reminded that she was still strapped in. Rose struggled at the latches on the harness the TARDIS had made for her, all the while cursing at how hard it was to take off,

"Blimey, how do you get out of this thing?" Hissed Rose as she watched the man, who was supposed to be her husband, run for the door. Not seeming to care if she or her unborn child were fine, he had essentially abandoned her to free herself somehow.

* * *

Swinging open the doors as he dizzily swayed back and forth he looked around and in triumph and with a quick smell of the air, to make sure he had the right date, he proudly said, as if he almost couldn't believe it,

"Here we are then, London. Earth. The Solar System. We did it!" The Time Lord turned his confused eyes to the two humans in front of him. He stepped out of the TARDIS and happily, more happy than normal, latched on to them. It was then that he realized that he had something of extreme importance to tell them. But his head was so fuzzy, if he could only just remember.

"Jackie. Mickey. Blimey! No, no, no, no, hold on. Wait there. I've got something to say. There was something I had to tell you, something important. What was it? No, hold on, hold on. Hold on, shush, shush, shush, shush. Oh, I know! We're having a baby, Merry Christmas!" The Doctor harped before promptly collapsing into Mickey's arms. Mickey laid the poor man, who seemed to know them, down on the ground gently. They were confused to say the least. Who was this man that seemed to dress like the big eared alien they knew? They were going to discuss their next move when Rose finally free of her seatbelts emerged from the TARDIS too. Jackie spotted Rose and practically walked over passed out man just to reach her daughter who she pulled into a crushing hug. But still minding the baby.

"Rose, Rose! Oh my lovey, you're safe! Oh thank God! I thought you died! He brought you back! I was…" Cried Jackie, any concern that she had over the man at her feet was now curtailed by how easily Jackie was able to hug her daughter. She took a step back, but still held on to her daughter and looked down at Rose's still very small belly and declared,

"Oh would you look at you! Is that an alien thing? I thought you'd be as big as a house by now, it's been so many months." Rose would love to have this conversation with her mother but after the Doctor was sorted. Gently she stepped away and said in a voice that sound like she was a bit out of it,

"Yeah, Time travel. What happened? Is he all right?" Indicating the man on the ground that Mickey was trying to help.

"I don't know, he just keeled over. But who is he? Where's the Doctor?" Asked Mickey very confused as to whom this new strange man was and that Rose had been the only other one to walk out of the TARDIS. Just because Rose was looking more obviously taken, didn't mean he was going to stop caring about her. Taking a deep breath and almost not believing it herself she gestured to the man now unconscious on the ground and declared,

"That's him, right in front of you. That's the Doctor." This of course made no sense to Jackie and in a confused and somewhat angry voice inquired,

"What do you mean, that's the Doctor? Doctor who?"

* * *

Three humans had a problem. On the couch of Jackie Tyler's flat was an unconscious man dressed in the Doctor's clothing that according to Rose was in fact the Doctor. The Doctor with a brand new face. Apparently the Doctor had been dying and this was how Time Lords saved themselves. Beyond that they had not a clue what was wrong with him. But that was only one problem. The more awkward problem was what Rose had suggested after she insisted they not take him to the hospital. She said that they needed to get him ready for bed because he was not well. Everyone felt uncomfortable about dressing a 'stranger' for bed.

"You should do it Mickey. It'd be polite, since you're a bloke too." Insisted Jackie, to which Mickey shook his head and said,

"No way am I doing it, just let him sleep as he is. I'm not stripping him!" Rose rolled her eyes at the childishness before her and sighed,

"I'll do it. But get lots of blankets. We don't have any men's pajamas, so I'll have to strip him down to his pants." Jackie didn't like the idea of Rose being alone with some strange bloke but then she reminded herself that this was the Doctor. This man, like it or not, was Rose's husband, so technically there should be nothing wrong with Rose seeing him starkers. Jackie then got an idea.

"Hold up a tick. I think I have something for him." Rose was confused but relieved at the same time as Jackie came back a few minutes later with a pair of pinstripe pajamas. She said nothing and Rose didn't ask as Mickey carried the Doctor over his shoulders to Rose's room. He deposited the sleeping man on her bed, maybe a bit too roughly for Rose's liking and then he stood there with Jackie. Rose looked at the two a minute and clearing her throat, indicated that she wanted some privacy. Realizing this, finally, the two reluctantly left Rose alone with the unfamiliar man. Rose heard the door close and let out a sigh of relief. She looked down on the man sleeping on her bed and tried once more to see a resemblance to her old Doctor as she studied his new features and finally got a clear minded look at him. He was handsome, very handsome. There was no denying that but different from how her Doctor usually looked. Her Doctor would have called the man now lying on her bed a 'pretty boy' while scoffing. Rose, in spite of herself, let out a little chuckle at the thought. But that quickly dissipated as she remembered that that man was gone and this was the man to be his replacement. How could anyone replace her Doctor? Who was this Doctor? And was it certainly her Doctor? He was different physically and before acted quite differently. Was he going to be like that all the time or was he just ill. Could she adjust to the changes, did she want to? Did she want to just throw in the towel and embrace widowhood? Not yet, she decided. Whoever this person would be, she had to give them a chance to prove themselves. She owed the memory of her Doctor that much. And she owed their child that much too.

Now there was the matter of dressing him or rather undressing him. Rose had never undressed her Doctor after he had changed from John to the Doctor. And although the clothing was the same, the body and face wasn't. She felt guilty at doing this to someone who felt like a stranger, but she tried hard to fight back against that feeling as she started to unbuckled his belt. More guiltily she did not look at his face but focused on the task, pretending that the face of the man she was doing this to be familiar to her. At least that way she felt more comfortable.

'Wow,' Rose thought as she slid off his trousers, 'That's different. He's got freckles all over!' Rose found this pretty much the case all over this slender built gorgeous man. As she finally buttoned the last button on his pajama top, she had to fight off the guilt and feeling of cheating she felt at having dressed and undressed a man she was finding herself attracted to more and more. Rose looked over to the discarded beaten up leather that the Doctor had worn. Picking it up she wrapped it around her and breathed in the leather and Time scent that she had learned to love and now missed terribly. The slight hint of John and the Doctor lingered in her nose and she felt tears on her face. She pulled the jacket closer still and looked at the man on the bed under the covers. Her eyes fell on the ring on his finger and she prayed that it was really him. Rose hung the jacket up on the wall next to him. It seemed wrong that it should be far from him. Would he still want to wear it afterwards? It didn't seem to fit him anymore and that too broke her heart. 'Heart. Hearts. Were his alright? I need to check em', Rose put her hand on his chest but she was no doctor. No matter how hard she tried to feel with her hand she thought that it just felt like one big erratic heartbeat. She needed something to check him with that would help ease her worry and make sure both his hearts were working properly. If his hearts were working then that was a good start. She felt for a pulse too but again she didn't know what was right for a Time Lord. All she knew so far was that he had burst into flames, supposedly built a new body and went crazy before passing out in a close to deathlike trance. She had to find out more on how to help him, well she could at least try. She couldn't bring him to a human doctor. Even if they didn't suspect that he was really an alien, she was sure that most any doctor she would bring him to would want to write in a medical journal about him. Or they would report him to some other higher medical authority. If that happened maybe the wrong person would hear about him and then lock him up for 'further study' on his condition! She would never see him again, and even though she was still uncertain as to who this person she used to know had become, she couldn't lose him. They needed to talk about what happened and what happens next, and she needed him awake and not crazy to do it. Rose looked to the door that she knew her mother was waiting outside of and wiped away any tears left on her face before opening the door.

"Mum, can we go to a medical supply store? I need something to listen for what's going on in the Doctor's chest." Stated Rose in a worried voice. Referring to this man, whose actions before had been anything but Doctory, as the Doctor still felt strange to her when the words left her mouth. Rose dared not call the man in the bed anything else in front of Mickey and Jackie, if they questioned it, even Rose who had watched him explode into this man might be tempted to let her resolve break under all the pressure of this uncertainty.

* * *

"Where am I?" asked the Doctor as he groggily sat up from a soft cushy bed. He looked about the room or it at least it seemed mostly a room. It was distorted a bit. It looked like John Smith's bedroom at his house near the college campus. Looked like was the word. Parts of it appeared to be there. Other parts of it were spiraling distortions followed by out of place bits that looked like the inside of the TARDIS. He felt a great pain stab through his head and decided to get up and head to the bathroom, not because he thought that he would find anything there to alleviate his pain. It was more like he was compelled to do so out of habit, John's habit. He swung open the door and walked up to the mirror only to see his old face. He thought that strange since he was sure he had regenerated, yes he remembered. He had regenerated. He must be in a healing coma that would explain the strange environment and that no matter how he tried right now, he was not waking up. Was this how he looked now? The mirror then started talking to him.

"Oi, no you don't look like me anymore. Pity, ya pretty boy. But go down stairs. You can talk to us more there." Said the Doctor's cropped haired reflection in a gruff voice. The reflection then seemed to walk out of the mirror and disappeared as the glass ended. The mirror became distorted and swirling, it would be of no further use. Pity, he wanted to see what he looked like now. All he knew was he was pretty and he didn't know if he would like that. He thought that meant at least he couldn't do any worse with his nose. He then walked out of John's bedroom and made his way to the stairs.

* * *

Rose was sitting 'patiently' on her bed, next to the sleeping Doctor. She couldn't help but let her eyes fall on the wedding band on his ring finger, and remember what that small band of gold meant to her. But mostly she looked at his face. She watched his face carefully for any signs that he might be coming around, but he seemed just to be in peaceful slumber. Sure he was peaceful now, but earlier he had gone crazy and, sure he had not hurt Rose directly, but indirectly he had almost gotten all three of them killed. If he were to wake up and start acting like that again then maybe they might want to tie him down. Rose rejected that idea as foolish. She could never believe that the Doctor would raise his own hand against her, they didn't have anything to tie him up with or to, and if this man, though of slighter build, was the Doctor, then the Doctor was at least as strong as any muscular human male. She'd seen him lift heavy enough things, though not without complaining, which she would have smirked at the memory if the circumstance were different.

Rose had concluded that she wanted a stethoscope and was all set to go across town to buy one, but Jackie had suggested otherwise. First she didn't want Rose exerting herself in her condition, which Rose thought was well meaning but unnecessary for the time being. However, Jackie claimed she knew where to get one close by and after Jackie having produced just a few hours ago, at least to Rose's perspective, a oversized rescue vehicle, Rose did not question her means of finding and getting whatever item her mother wanted.

"Here we go. Tina the cleaner's got this lodger, a medical student, and she was fast asleep, so I just took it. Though I still say we should take him to hospital." Jackie declared as she came into the room and handed the 'borrowed' stethoscopes to her daughter. Taking him to a hospital was out of the question,

"We can't. They'd lock him up. They'd dissect him. One bottle of his blood could change the future of the human race. No! Shush!" Insisted Rose, she was not handing the Doctor over to anyone. She was going to protect him and care for him as she knew he would if she were in such a state. Rose nervously put on the stethoscope, not knowing what to expect but hoping it was anything bad. Rose took a deep breath and placed the cold metal chest piece of the stethoscope on the sleeping man's chest. Rose heard the left heart beating, much to her relief and then placed the chest piece over his right side and as alien as it would have been to hear a heart there in a human, to Rose it was a great comfort. Only the Doctor had two hearts. This was a definitely a Time Lord, but how much of her Time Lord was left was another story. Letting out a sigh Rose exhaled,

"Both working."

"What do you mean, both?" Asked Jackie confused. Rose then said in a matter-of-fact voice,

"Well, he's got two hearts." Jackie thought that this was no time for her daughter to be playing tricks and scoffed,

"Oh, don't be stupid." Rose sighed in exasperation and simply stated,

"He has." She wasn't lying and got up to head for the kitchen to find something to eat, finally having an appetite. Eating for two was draining enough without emotional uncertainty attached to it.

"Anything else he's got two of?" Asked Jackie as she fought the urge to look further down him for anything, out of the ordinary that Rose might possibly have knowledge of and was too embarrassed to point out to her mother. Rose figured that she probably just had a dirty mind, when she thought of what else Jackie could be referring to, and had to fight off a blush. With annoyance and a bit of embarrassment on her voice she hissed,

"Leave him alone." Rose then quietly left the room in a huff. She did not need this right now. Jackie looked as if she washed her hands of the subject and followed Rose out of the room while tip-toeing. She had better questions to ask her daughter about her son-in-law. Well if it was her son-in-law, at least he looked closer to Rose's age. That in itself was a blessing to her. She knew that there would be issues later involving Rose's alien husband having put on a different face, but at least she didn't have to worry about embarrassing misidentification anymore. Meaning that the days of Rose's husband and Rose's mother being mistaken for Rose's parents might be gone. That had happened a few times in the past. It wasn't any fun introducing a man old enough to be your husband as your son-in-law. Unknown to the women as they left the room, their minds lost in their own thoughts, The Doctor once more exhaled some of the TARDIS's golden energy. It left through the window only to fly off out into space to be found by unsavory creatures.

* * *

The Doctor made his way down the stairs and along the walls of the charmingly lived in house were eight or so framed pictures of himself, or rather John Smith with Rose. These were pictures of their various adventures that they had gone on throughout the duration of their short courtship and even shorter married domestic life. Could he ever give Rose a life like that? Could he ever give her the life she deserved, whatever that was? He saw a night photo of the two of them kissing on a blanket in a grassy field with the star overhead and a telescope to the right of them. It had obviously been taken with a tripod and a delay feature, they had gone alone. That had been Rose's idea, but as bashful as he had been as John it didn't take long to convince him to take that picture. The Doctor smiled at the memory of that perfect night. It had been a bit chilly so Rose and John had spent most of the time cuddled up together under a second blanket taking turns looking through the eyepiece of the telescope. The Doctor stopped reminiscing long enough to realize that these photos like a lot of things about this house, were out of place and swirly. He did not remember these photos ever being there on the wall of the house. He had remembered John wanting to frame them especially because Rose had asked him to, but unfortunately he just never got around to it and now he guessed that he never would. Anyway he had delayed enough he was keeping himself waiting apparently.

* * *

Rose was busy investigating the fridge of the Tyler flat for something to eat. Her stomach was acting up and Rose groaned under her breath,

"Hush, I'm trying to feed you." Not knowing if she was saying that more to her stomach or her offspring near the same place.

Jackie had clearly not been expecting company this year and the selection of food stuff was anything other than great or festive. Rose eyes some convenient store muffins and thought that those looked good. As she reached for it Jackie came up from behind her and asked,

"How can he go changing his face? Is that a different face or is he a different person?" Jackie didn't realize it but by asking these questions she was bringing up again the biggest insecurity she had about this situation to light. Was the Doctor a different person now? Irrational anger at the Doctor for doing this to them, even if he couldn't help it boiled up in her. She had spent months adjusting to the Doctor and their new life together and now they might very well be back at square one again. She wanted her child to come into a family not questioning where the parents' relationship stood.

"How should I know? It seems like my husband's basically been replaced with another person, again! But at least last time they looked alike!" Snapped Rose at her mother in frustration. Rose then saw the hurt look on her mother's face and Rose realized that Jackie knew just as much as she did about this situation and like Rose was only looking for answers.

"…Sorry. The thing is I thought I knew him, Mum. .. Well I thought I knew him again. I thought me and him were… All those months, all the frustration, back pedaling and heart ache…I thought that we were finally moving forward…getting somewhere… And then he goes and does this…." Sobbed Rose as she wiped some tears from her eyes. She was trying very hard not to break down in front of her mother, but she was tired, confused, and moving steadily into her third month of pregnancy was not helping. Thankfully Jackie came up and held her hand, which was a great comfort to Rose who managed to calm herself as best as she could and explained,

"Even though so much had changed, I just looked at him and… I keep forgetting he's not human anymore. Sometimes I even think he's John, I've blurred the two, and he's one being. The Doctor and John, but they looked the same… John used to tell me everything and it hurts me that he keeps secrets now…He doesn't tell me a thing it seems and I …" Rose realized that she was rambling and looking more pitiful and in an attempt to change the subject and lighten up the mood she put on a brave smile and in a teary voice asked,

"The big question is where'd you get a pair of men's pajamas from? John never brought any here."

"Howard's been staying over." Said Jackie as she turned around to busy herself with some drawers. Rose had grown up with practically a revolving door of male friends of her Mother's. Jackie never really ever seemed to find the right guy, but she was good at finding all the wrong ones. They either had turned out to be losers or they just weren't good enough. Rose could never understand her mother's taste in men. Well maybe she could a little. Her mother had made a pass at her husband once, well boyfriend at the time. Something she was convinced had part to do with why her mother was always so cold to John. She was probably embarrassed as much as she was mortified by her daughter dating a man that was old enough to be her father. Still after meeting her father and knowing how he died, Rose had been wondering if her father had ruined Jackie for other men, it was like no one but Pete Tyler would due in the end. And that of course was impossible so sadly, Rose didn't think that her mother would ever know that kind of companionship again. And speaking of companionship, Rose thought of Howard from the market and he wasn't exactly the kind of man she could see her mother dating. Quite frankly he was weird and always seemed to have food in his mouth or in his stubble.

"What, Howard from the market? How long's that been going on?" Asked Rose trying to mask the disbelief and a little bit of disgust on her face.

"A month or so. First of all, he starts delivering to the door and I thought, 'that's odd.' Next thing you know, it's a bag of oranges…" Said Jackie as she began to describe the wooing and courtship she was experiencing with Howard, but was interrupted by Rose.

"Is that Harriet Jones?" Asked Rose as she heard the familiar voice of her friend, Harriet, who had fought alongside her and cared for her as a mother might for her own child in danger. Rose entered the small living room of her mother's flat and gazed in amazement at the television as she saw Harriet speaking before a large crowd of people on the news.

"Oh, never mind me." Snarked Jackie as she followed Rose into the living room.

"Why's she on the telly?" Asked Rose amazed to see her friend looking so important.

"She's Prime Minister now. I'm eighteen quid a week better off. They're calling it Britain's Golden Age. I keep on saying my Rose has met her." Boasted Jackie to her daughter.

"Did more than that. Stopped World War Three with her. Harriet Jones." Smirked Rose, happy to see that something was going right. Watching for a few minutes more Rose learned that not only was Harriet finally not a back bencher, but an advocate for the advancement of space exploration despite opposition that it was a waste of funds. Harriet proudly spoke of a space probed called Guinevere and Britain taking its own steps to explore the universe. Harriet, it seemed didn't want Britain to be a back bencher either in space exploration. As Harriet spoke, the probe was already making its way to Mars to take pictures, unknown to anyone on Earth the probe was about to be intercepted by danger. And little did they know that danger was on its way to Earth to conquer.

* * *

Rose spent the better part of the day worrying over the sleeping man in her bed and wondering if he would ever wake up, if she was doing enough to help him, and what he would be like when he woke up. The other half she actually spent sleeping herself, since due to her condition she often found that she liked to a rest now and again. Jackie had caught her asleep sprawled next to the Doctor's feet. She looked comfortable enough on her side, but Jackie was afraid that she might accidentally roll off the bed. Very gently as only a mother can seem to do, Jackie woke Rose up enough to get her on her feet and guide her to the other bedroom.

"Love, you just rest, I'll keep an eye on the Doctor." She whispered to her daughter as Jackie tucked her in. Rose was grateful for some proper rest and having spent a few hours warmly cuddled in a bed that smelt of her mother was a very nice comfort. It was getting close to night fall when Rose finally woke up and Mickey who had gone back to work for a few more hours was now in the flat waiting for her. Mickey had spotted Rose from the living room after she had checked to see any change in the Doctor. There was none. Realizing she could do with some tea to settle her stomach she smiled at Mickey and made to go into the kitchen, but as if reading her mind Jackie had a cup ready for her along with some biscuits and herded her into the living room for a sit.

"That's ma girl. Are you feeling up to a little Christmas shopping? Jackie said you were getting some much needed sleep out of the way." Beamed Mickey to his Ex Girlfriend. Rose smiled back because a Mickey smile was catching. A little shopping sounded like a good idea. Some normal Earth shopping might get some stress off of her, and after all, stress was no good for her or the baby. She also needed to get her mother a present since Rose had noticed that there was one for her under the tree in the living room. Rose agreed to the outing and a half hour later, Mickey and Rose were absorbing the holiday atmosphere in a festive shopping area.

* * *

A brass band dressed in Santa robes played 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' as the two friends walked by. Rose was dazzled by how everyone and everything was all dressed up so differently from how she had seen it only a few hours ago. Well to her it was a few hours to Mickey it had been a few months Rose put her hands back into her pockets to warm them up as it was a bit chilly outside. Mickey was sure that Rose did not have her purse on her and granted she had been so distracted with all that had happened today. He could not blame her for just blindly following him in whatever direction and forgetting that you needed cash to buy presents. With gallantry he held up some money and handed it to Rose.

"So what do you need? Twenty quid?" Asked Mickey cheerily.

"Do you mind? I'll pay you back." Said Rose, not having any money on her at the moment. Her wallet was in the TARDIS…Somewhere. She had lost track of it from lack of use. Whenever they needed something the Doctor just used his psychic paper or had period money on him. The Doctor seemed to have endless credit and she usually didn't have to worry about money, which was a very liberating feeling.

"Call it a Christmas present." Smiled Mickey to Rose, he could see that the concept that it was now actually Christmas was still growing on her.

"God, I'm all out of sync. You just forget about Christmas and things in the TARDIS. They don't exist. You get sort of timeless." Said Rose time travel never seemed to stop astonishing her. Rose looked about the many shops selling all manner of things decked out for the holidays, and hopefully somewhere among these was a present that she could get for her mother. The more Rose thought about it the more she found herself getting a little more disappointed that she had missed the whole month of eager anticipation waiting for Christmas and all the preparation that came with it. And a tiny domestic part of her would have had liked to have had time to 'get' the baby a present too. Well something to give to the baby when it got here anyway. If she were in sync with her mother's timeline, she would have been much further along by now, but that was time travel for you. Rose also couldn't help but think back on her old house near campus that she had not been to in ages. She couldn't help but imagine what that first Christmas together would have been like. She was sure that John would have wanted to make a big deal out of it and put up decorations and a huge tree, and mistletoe. She would have hung it from every doorframe in the house. They would have hung stockings, made cookies, and oh gee…That's right, she would have been getting closer to giving birth by then. They would have soon been starting their unexpected, but very wanted, family and making family holiday memories together in that house. Rose, exhaled slightly at thoughts of what could have been. She couldn't have that exactly like that with the Doctor, but she could have had something close enough. But now with the future of the Doctor so uncertain, Rose did not know what was reasonable to hope for anymore. Mickey was oblivious to Rose's deep thoughts as he said in a somewhat sarcastic but not ill natured voice,

"Oh, yeah, that's fascinating, because I love hearing stories about the TARDIS. Oh, go on Rose, tell us another one because I swear I could listen to it all day. TARDIS this, TARDIS that." Rose jokingly told Mickey to 'shut up' as she could tell that Mickey was just giving her a hard time and poking fun at her obsession with the ever amazing TARDIS. Not feeling 'threatened' at all Mickey proceeded to do his best Rose, the crazy Time Traveler, impression. In a voice sounding overly excited while waving his arms he smirked,

"Oh, and one time the TARDIS landed in a big yellow garden full of balloons."

"I'm not like that!" snipped Rose, only half serious. Mickey just rolled his eyes and laughed,

"Oh, you so are." Mickey mused that since Rose spent so much time praising and talking about the TARDIS that she should have married the TARDIS instead.

"Mmm, must drive you mad. I'm surprised you still put up with me and my crazy life."

"Oh, that's the thing, isn't it? You can rely on me. I don't go changing my face." Declared Mickey. He knew it was a cheap shot and even more so to try to move in on Rose while the Doctor was bedridden, but this Doctor bloke changing his face proved to be a possible game changer. Rose might not mind settling on a consistent regular honest guy like himself. Mickey had to remind himself that that wasn't the sole purpose of this outing.

"Yeah…." Said Rose half paying attention at the mention of the Doctor again as she thought of her strong, imposing, to everyone but her, leather clad Doctor and then had to replace that image with the pale sickly man barely breathing in her bed at home. She then said out loud in worry,

"What if he's dying?" Mickey was having none of this, he was not her boyfriend anymore, the child in her stomach was not his, but he could not stand seeing her killing herself with worry while he was trying to show her a good time and get her mind off of all that worry. It wasn't good for her, that baby, or his evening that Rose should continue to worry the whole night. Besides if that guy really was the Doctor, he was most likely too tough to keel over and too spiteful to make Mickey's path to a possibly normal future with Rose any easier. He just wanted to have this time with Rose with no Doctor and pretend that things were still the way they were before Rose's life had gone in such a different direction. Maybe even just for a few hours hold her hand, walk merrily down the street together and maybe make-believe, just for a little while, that Rose was his and the baby Rose carrying was his. That was his own little fantasy. What he wanted was to do everything in his power to make Rose happy for this time they had, and if pretending that they were a couple could make him even tenderer to her then he would do it. Which was why when he was putting all his efforts into relaxing Rose and she was still stressing, he found it annoying? Couldn't he just be enough to make her forget her troubles just for a little bit? In a voice that at first was more frustrated and exasperated than he would have liked to sound he said,

"Okay." They were not going down that path right now. He was sure as anything that that man was not dying and Rose didn't need to worry so much, and Rose could read that in his voice.

"Sorry!" Mewed Rose, who had been caught once more thinking about the Doctor, she knew that the whole purpose of Mickey taking her out was to get her mind off of everything, and she appreciated that. She wasn't completely clueless as to what a great bloke Mickey was for sticking by her as her friend and helping her through such a tough time now, knowing that he wasn't going to get anything out of it but her gratitude. But to be fair her husband was sick and possibly dying and didn't look a thing like her husband anymore. That was a lot to try to forget on a Christmas shopping trip. Mickey took Rose's hands in his and begged Rose,

"Just let it be Christmas. Can you do that? Just for a bit. Stop worrying for just a bit. You and me, your best mate, and Christmas. Our minds off of anything upsetting, no sick husband, no bog monsters, no life or death, no millions of lives in the balance. Just some rest and relaxing." Rose could see that Mickey wanted desperately to spend this little bit of time they had together in a fashion they would have before Rose had met John. Rose didn't have anything she could offer him as a Christmas present, but she could try to help give him a good time out. Rose nodded the affirmative to which Mickey asked her if she promised that they would just have a normal night out Christmas shopping.

"Yes!" Promised Rose in slight irritation, she got the idea and she really was trying, really. Mickey let go of Rose's hands and she then placed her hand over her growing abdomen and tried to remember to relax for the little one's sake.

"Right! What're you going to get for your mum?" Questioned Mickey. Rose followed him as he surveyed the many carts of Christmas items nearby.

"Because if you need help picking out a present, then boy do I ever know. I'm round there all the time now, you know. You're mum does my dinner on a Sunday, talks about you all afternoon, yap yap yap. Talks about things she likes, doesn't like. I can probably name seven things you could get her." Declared Mickey, unaware that the same band of creepy Santas, who were all wearing plastic looking masks, had started to follow them. Rose on the other hand was starting to think it strange that that same song she had heard playing earlier had not faded away as they had walked away from that band. Were they also walking down the street? She couldn't shake off the idea that she was being followed when she noticed that that creepy band seemed to be slowly closing in on them. And when she felt that she was walking into a trap her instincts were usually correct. She casual kept glancing back and indeed they were getting closer to her. And no sooner did she turn around yet again to get another look at the creepy Santa band, they stopped playing. Rose stared at them and them at her. One she noticed was slowly adjusting its grip on it trombone and every instinct was telling Rose that this was the 'one thing out of place' that the Doctor had always warned her to watch out about. It was a contest to see who would make the first move and ultimately it was the Santa who made the first attack. The trombonist Santa fired a flame out of his instrument, but Rose was quick and managed to duck out of the way while pulling Mickey with her. The other Santas then started firing some form of artillery at them. This, of course, started a panic in the busy street and screaming humans started running this way and that. Rose hoped that they might slip away without notice, but the enemy was too close and the crowd too thick. So Mickey and Rose hid behind a stall and collected themselves on what to do next.

"It's us! They're after us!" Screeched Rose from her crouched position. Mickey ducked down lower only to realize that their cover would not provide them much protection for long. Grabbing onto Rose's hand the man pulled her behind another row of stalls and the two sprinted for the street all the while dodging gunfire. Rose prayed that Mickey had a plan to get all three of them out of this mess alive and indeed he did. Mickey tugged Rose behind and past a large Christmas tree in the square and this was more than enough cover and an obstacle to give them a head start. They kept running away all the while still dodging gunfire and praying that their enemies aim would stay bad. One of the Santas carrying a tuba in its hands had then fired a blast from the tuba at Mickey and Rose. This consequently demolished that same large Christmas tree that Rose and Mickey had run behind, accidentally sending it crashing down on top of the tuba Santa. At least who ever these guys were, they weren't too bright thought Mickey, but that probably wouldn't stop them for long.

That was one Santa down and Mickey and Rose took that opportunity to flee faster than they ever fled. Mickey, his courage now spend for the night began to shout his distress and fear to Rose as they made tracks to any place but where they just were.

"What's going on? What've we done? Why are they after us?" Asked Mickey now in a panic. Why couldn't he just have a normal night with Rose? He was beginning to understand that with Rose, nothing ever would be normal again.

"Taxi!" Shouted Rose at the top of her lungs as she managed to hail a cap and then got in pulling Mickey in after her. Rose looked behind her to see that fortunately the remaining Santas had not caught up to their now speeding away cab.

"They're after the Doctor." Shouted Rose as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I can't even go shopping with you. We get attacked by a brass band. Who're you phoning?" Yelped Mickey still in a panic.

"My Mum!" Shouted Rose, worried that those things might be going after her mother too. Rose grabbed at her mobile and dialed the number to her mother's flat to warn her. Only to get a busy signal.

* * *

"She turns up, no warning. I've got nothing in. I said, Rose, if you want a Christmas dinner of meat paste, then so be it." Chatted Jackie to her friend on the phone about her daughter's sudden appearance. Now that it was no longer debatable if her daughter was still alive, Jackie found herself slipping into the annoyance at not having anything ready for her daughter for Christmas. Just the usual holiday stress of wondering where she would get a turkey the next day and a dozen other things.

* * *

"Get off the phone!" Shouted Rose, back in the cab into her phone as if her mother could actually hear her. Rose wanted to bite her phone in two she was so frustrated. They would not be able to give Jackie a warning. Rose knew from years of experience that her mother could talk the ears off of a cornstalk. She wasn't going to be hanging up any time soon and they needed to race back.

"There's a big tip in it for ya, if you get to Powell estate in five minutes!" Shouted Rose at the driver as she held up the money Mickey had given her.

"Who were those Santa things?" Questioned Mickey hoping Rose possessed some information that he did not. Unfortunately, Rose had never seen these people before and was just about as clueless as Mickey.

"I don't know. But think about it. They were after us. What's important about us? Well, nothing, except the one thing we've got tucked up in bed. The Doctor." Shouted Rose, it was easy to figure that out. They needed to get back to the flat and they needed to guard the Doctor and possibly move him to someplace safer. Rose just prayed that they weren't already too late to save the Doctor, because if they knew who they were than they most likely knew where they came from.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

What does the Starship Plot-Thinens run on? ANGST! And yet somehow it's been keeping you guys around for a whole year, so far. I wonder if I've given you little anxiety attacks…gee I hope not, that wouldn't be nice at all. Don't worry you are going to love what I have in store for you. Sorry this one took so long to get out. I get little ideas for story as far as season three down the road and have to write them before I forget. Oh Martha, can't wait for the readers to get to you… And I have something that you are gonna love, but you'll have to take the slow path to get there, I am afraid. Can't be helped. When you jump around episodes in a series to do writing it all gets timey whimey. Anyway I've tortured you enough with teasers. Peace out.


	3. Chapter 3 - What a time to be sleeping

**Complications**

By The-Plot-Thinens

**Chapter 03 - What a time to be sleeping**

* * *

"Oh, no. Don't come round, darling. No, flat's all topsy turvy. Yeah, she just barges in and litters the place. Yeah. No, I'll come round and see you on Boxing Day." Said Jackie as she nattered on over the phone with her friend as she placed a mug of tea by the Doctor's bed. She wasn't sure if he would wake up anytime soon, but her nurturing instincts were telling her that a cup of tea should be by a sick person's bedside. As she left the room she once more missed the opportunity to see yet more golden energy exhaled by the Doctor.

* * *

The Doctor was walking through John's distorted hallway full of closed doors. Somewhere on this first floor was where he needed to be. He opened one door and behind it was a horrible sight of burning, death, fire, and within that fire Gallifrey. The Doctor grasped the door frame so as not to fall on his knees. He was so overcome with emotions.

"Oi, mind closing that? You're letting in a draft!" Shouted one voice through a closed door across the hall from the Doctor, followed by a voice that sounded much the same but different,

"Just come through this one, no sense in going into that room, it's always a mess these days." Now very curious and more than happy to leave the memories of his horrific past behind him for now, he closed that door and opened the one that the two voices had come through. The Doctor stepped through the door to find John Smith's relaxing private study. His leather clad self was sprawled on a settee with John Smith in an armchair across from him. They were having tea and some snacks.

"Bout time you showed up. We already gone through all the jelly babies, sorry 'bout that, pretty boy." Said his shorn haired incarnation. John put down his teacup and invited the Doctor to sit down. The Doctor looked at his old self, 'Again with the pretty boy statements.' He thought. It made him curious on his looks again and looking to the two versions of him he asked,

"I've got a very important question to ask then, am I ginger?" The two 'twins' looked at each other and smirked.

"Oh no, it's just too much fun keeping you guessing." Laughed John.

"Pretty boys. They're always wanting to look in a mirror. When did I get so vain?" Declared his leather clad self. The leather wearing Doctor then got up and offered his new self a seat but before the man could sit down, The Doctor found himself suddenly having the wind knocked out of him, with a respiratory bypass, this was a feat indeed. His former self had punched him in the gut. This made him keel backward into the comfortable seat he was now gasping in.

"That was for bloody risking Rose's life in a TARDIS crash! Are you as stupid as you are pretty?" Snarled the leather wearing Doctor. The Doctor could barely cough out words, but managed to squeak out that he was and is suffering from regeneration sickness. And that they had tried to do worse after regenerating in the past.

"I didn't bloody give my life for our family, just to have the new me endanger them like that!" Hissed the Doctor's ninth incarnation. All the Doctor could do was cough out an apology as his former incarnation roughly handed him a cup of tea almost spilling it in the Doctor's lap. After the Doctor had taken his own cup of tea and settled down, John spoke.

"Yes, well, let's stop beating ourselves up already." Suggested John, to which the Shorn haired Doctor declared,

"You're one to talk." John cleared his throat and ever trying to be the voice of reason stated,

"Yeah, well I guess we all seemed to have our differences when we first met. We've had a bit of time to discuss things around here and your former self and I have found that we have much more in common than looks." The leather clad Doctor then gruffed,

"Like a love of giving a whack to the face for slighting his woman." The Doctor's ninth incarnation then placed his hand on his cheek. Indicating that John might have had a few words to give the Doctor for any trouble he had put Rose through.

"I'm beginning to think it's a family trait, should have kept Rose's name so you could have claim to the Tyler fist too." He complained, though John looked pleased with himself and said,

"That was for sending Rose away. Captain Jack never got a chance to punch you, after all." The Doctor felt that he was going to prove to be very interesting company.

"I'm a rather violent person as of late, aren't I?" Mused the Doctor, a bit disturbed, as he looked around the distorted room with only himself as company and praying he could eventually be civil.

* * *

Rose and Mickey's cab finally reached the Powell Estate. Rose threw all the money Mickey had given her into the driver's hands and ran out of the car. Mickey tried not to feel slighted that he had given that money to Rose for Christmas shopping. They did after all have more important matters at hand. The two raced up the stairs and as Rose reach the door to her mother's flat. Rose could hear her mother loudly talking on the phone, as usual.

"So, save us a chipolata." Said Jackie over the phone to her friend as Mickey and Rose burst into the flat.

"Get off the phone." Demanded Rose, not wanting to waste any more time with those Santa men possibly hot on their tails. Was Rose worried that it was someone bad on the phone? Thought Jackie. Jackie not understanding the urgency of the situation declared,

"It's only Bev. She says hello." Rose liked Bev but had no time for social calls, they needed to move fast so as politely as a rude could be she grabbed the phone out of her mother's hand and said her goodbyes to Bev and hung up on her. She put down the phone and very concerned for her family explained to her mother,

"Right, it's not safe. We've got to get out. Where can we go?" Mickey had an idea and suggested they go to his friend Stan's house, but Rose shot that down quickly as it was only two streets away and not far away enough to avoid possible detection.

"What about Mo? Where's she living now?" Ask Rose as she scanned her mind for far away enough locations to squirrel the Doctor away.

"I don't know. Peak District." Answered Jackie confused and wondering what her daughter was on about. That was far away enough for Rose. All they needed to do was quickly get the Doctor into Mickey's car and whisk him away to Mo's until he was better and could defend himself against those Santas.

"Well, we'll go to cousin Mo's then." Stated Rose, but Jackie wasn't having any of this ridiculous behavior.

"No, it's Christmas Eve! We're not going anywhere! What're you babbling about? Even I didn't get this crazy when I was pregnant. I was hoping you'd be like me and just stick to odd cravings!" Protested Jackie. Rose let out an exasperated sigh. She was scared for them and for the Doctor. They had just tried to kill her and Mickey and she didn't think those Santas would call it quits just yet. With as calm a voice as she could muster Rose began to speak to her mother, but stopped when she noticed a big change in the flat.

"Mum. Where'd you get that tree?" Rose asked as she looked at the new item in the house. Once more her leather clad Doctor was telling her to keep an eye out for that one thing out of place. Call it paranoid but her head was screaming danger. A big green Christmas tree was in the living room and Rose remembered that the last one had not been that big and was white. Almost panicked Rose asked her mother,

"That's a new tree. Where'd you get it?" Jackie said that she thought that Rose had sent it.

"How can it be me?" Questioned Rose of her mother. The last thing on Rose's mind after a day like she had had would be tree shopping.

"Well, you went shopping. There was a ring at the door, and there it was!" Explained Jackie. Rose now knowing that something was very wrong said that it wasn't her who left the tree.

"Then who was it?" Asked Jackie now becoming just as spooked and Mickey and Rose were looking. Then as if on cue, the tree began to light up and started playing Jingle Bells like some kind of demented music box.

"Oh, you're kidding me." Whispered Rose as she placed her arms protectively over her abdomen. The tree's branches began spinning like the bottom of a blender and rotated in different directions, creating a strong wind. It then started to move, chopping through her mother's coffee table as it slowly made its way towards them.

"Get out! Go, go! Get out!" Warned Mickey as he grabbed a nearby chair to fend off the menacing tree as Jackie and Rose ran towards the exit of the flat.

"We've got to save the Doctor." Announced Rose over the noise as she went back into her room to try and drag the Doctor from the flat.

"What're you doing?" Yelled Jackie, not understanding in the moment why Rose was going back into the flat with a killer Christmas tree in it to endanger her life.

"We can't just leave my husband!" Shouted Rose back at her mother, she was not leaving behind the father of her child. And she desperately wanted to believe that that man on the bed really was her husband. Jackie was beside herself with what to do, she wasn't going to leave her daughter and her daughter wasn't going to leave her husband. Jackie turned her head back to the living room and saw that Mickey's chair was fighting a losing battle with the Christmas tree. Jackie called for Mickey to get out of the room and follow them.

Rose realized very quickly that she was going to need help moving the man on the bed, even though he was thinner then the last man who had worn that leather coat. Rose called out to Mickey and heeding her call he ran to the room containing the Doctor much to Jackie's dismay. She wanted the three of them out of the flat.

"No, leave him. Just leave him!" Ordered Jackie, not wanting to risk her daughter, friend and grandchild for the sleeping alien in Rose's bedroom, but Rose was having none of that. Where Rose was Mickey would follow as he did not wish to leave her behind either. Jackie lingered by the bedroom entrance, but seeing that the tree was getting closer and Mickey was demanding her to get inside, she yielded to Mickey's demand and screaming ran through the door and slammed it shut.

* * *

"Anyway as you have guessed we have discussed our differences and in spite of them, we both agree we love Rose and want what is best for her and our baby." The last part John couldn't say without smiling in a sad way. The Doctor knew exactly what John was thinking. He was thinking that he wished that he himself could be there for Rose and their child, raise and help provide for his family, but he understood that his time had passed and it was now this new Doctor's turn to make Rose happy, even though they technically were still the same person. John Smith was as much a former regeneration as any of his other incarnation the Doctor reasoned. John, even though he had been of human capacity in thoughts and ways, his thoughts were just as important. It was because of this incarnation that he had Rose to begin with and that alone made John worth having around his head. The Doctor was removed from his thoughts when he noticed the area around them becoming more distorted, followed by load noises and shuffling coming from an old fashion rotary phone at the table next to John. The phone itself was sitting on what looked like a table made from a vortex. It was a very odd sight and hard to describe even looking at it. Perhaps John had not noticed it simply because it was too much for a human mind to wrap their mind around.

"What's that?" Asked John looking at phone and the racket coming from it. He had not noticed it until now. The Ninth Doctor picked up the phone, fascinated, and in a concerned voice said,

"It's our mind's representation of our ears. The vortex itself, a portal to viewing the waking world. But our mind isn't done recovering yet. As you can see from all the redecorating in this memory alone. It'd be dangerous and a health risk to wake up before hand. Anyway, it's the outside world, you're hearing. For now we can at least hear what's going on..." Then there was screaming on the phone, more importantly the distinct screaming of Rose! All of the men in the room jumped at the sound of Rose in distress, but did not know what to do. The Doctor's head was too badly hurting to think straight from the sudden stress of the situation and John was just a human and barely understood anything at all about the Time Lord brain he now resided in. He looked to his other selves with pleading eyes for them to think of something to do.

"Save our wife!" Shouted John to the Doctors. They were supposed to be the big superior time Lords with intelligence that he could never hope to have. So why couldn't they use their thick head and find a way to save Rose?

* * *

"Doctor, wake up!" Begged Rose to the sleeping man on her bed, who seemed oblivious of the noise around him. Or that everyone in this room was going to be dead in a few minutes. This was no time to be sleeping! Rose needed her husband, right now! She needed him to wake up and protect her…their family! Rose shook the mattress to no avail and began to think of what else to do. What was it the Doctor would need to help? His Sonic! The Sonic Screwdriver could fix any problem! Jackie and Mickey did their best to keep the door closed by pushing a wooden wardrobe in front of it, but were starting to see how futile their efforts were. Rose on the other hand ran to the Doctor's leather jacket that was hanging on the wall and reached into the pocket where she knew the precious device would be. Then as quick as a rabbit, Rose put it in the Doctor's hand just as the tree smashed through the door. The force of the tree bursting through the door threw her back against the wall. Fortunately she was not thrown too hard and was sure that her passenger was unharmed, but then her mind raced back to the menacing tree. Rose was petrified and looking from the tree to the Doctor. Waiting for him to wake up and save her, save them all, at least save the baby!

"I'm going to get killed by a Christmas tree!" Screech Jackie pathetically at her cruel fate. Who would have thought that the thing that had filled her heart with warmth and joy every year at Christmas would be her undoing?

The tree was now practically on top of them and they were about to be cut to pieces by the whirling tinsel covered nightmare of a tree. Nothing else, not even screams or the loud noise the tree was making seemed to wake the Doctor. This thing was going to kill her, her family and her unborn child too, while the Doctor slept. In the same room as this massacre was about to take place in. Rose desperately clung to the bed where the Doctor lay and putting her mouth as close as she could to his ear she spoke into it softly. She spoke as she would whenever she had tried to wake him up in the morning when he was human, but with considerably more urgency in her voice. She prayed that something inside this man's head would respond to the familiar treatment.

"Help us." Whispered Rose to the man who was supposed to be her mate, begging for him to wake and save his wife and child.

* * *

The three males inside the Doctor's head heard Rose's plea for help and the leather clad Doctor, driven by the urge to protect his mate at all cost, did the only thing he could do. He could not go and save Rose, his time had passed, he was an echo, but his daft, half mental, recovering self could. That table was, in theory, a path to the waking world and a path to help Rose.

"Rose!" Shouted the leather wearing Doctor and he got a fantastic idea. Grabbing the surprised and new Doctor by his collar, the cropped hair Doctor tossed his new self over his shoulder into the vortex like one might toss a sack of potatoes. 'Damn the consequences or damage it would do to his, their recovery.' He thought as he felt himself waking up.

"Save our Rose!" He ordered. It seemed like it had taken minutes to take action in the Doctor's head but really it was more like a few seconds in the real world. No sooner had Rose made her plea, then the Doctor suddenly sat up in Rose's bed and aimed the screwdriver at the deadly tree causing it to explode and then practically vaporize into nothing. Every human in the room let out a collective sigh of relief at the sudden quiet and peaceful normalcy that had returned to the flat.

The Doctor was awake, his former self's plan, although risky and obviously fueled more by passion then well thought out conclusions had done the job. He could protect his family again. He just had to find out who was threatening them and put a stop to it right away. Protecting Rose and his family was important above all other things at this moment, even his own health he was risking when he cleverly figured out how to wake up.

"Remote control. But who's controlling it?" Declared the Doctor as he hopped out of Rose's very nicely smelling bed. The Doctor couldn't help but notice in his new body his sense of smell and taste appeared to be much better than in his last form. As he threw on a dressing gown he saw hanging from a peg in the hallway. He was still having trouble regulating his body temperature and the warmth of the robe was actually welcomed and needed.

* * *

Dressing gown on, the Doctor led the trio of humans out on to the balcony at the front of the building and looked down onto the ground. Three Santa's gazed up, one holding a radio controller and watching the Doctor silently. Rose, though knowing that they were still probably in danger, could not take her eyes off the Doctor and desperately watched his every move for signs of familiarity, and mannerisms that were unmistakably Doctory. She also wondered what he was going to do. As unpredictable as the Doctor could be, she was getting good at guessing what he would do next. This Doctor she had not a clue what he would do. And quite frankly the sooner they sorted out these Santas the quicker she could start having a conversation with the man in front of her. At a reasonable distance because now that he was awake she had to admit that she was a little afraid of him and the unknown that he was now wrapped in.

"That's them. What are they?" Asked Mickey as he pointed to their enemy bellow at street level, but Rose silenced him. She pointed to the Doctor and hinted for him to watch what the Doctor would do. The Doctor aimed the screwdriver at the Santas and they thankfully backed away. Then they all seemed to be beamed away, hopefully to never return. Mickey let out a sigh of relief and grinning he said,

"They've just gone. What kind of rubbish were they? I mean, no offence, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's going to scare them off." The Doctor did not seem relieved or at ease at all now that the threatening Santas were gone.

"Pilot fish." Said the Doctor in a serious voice. This seemed like a very random thing to say and Rose was once again worried that the Doctor was not in his right mind.

"What?" She asked of the Doctor.

"They were just pilot fish." Clarified the Doctor who then fell over in pain, slumped up against the wall and slid down to the floor. The Doctor moaned and hissed in unbelievable pain and Rose, despite the misgivings she should be having, instinctually pulled herself close to him and in a very worried voice asked,

"What's wrong?" The Doctor began panting as if he were having trouble breathing or keeping his lunch down or both. The Doctor broke out into a sweat, something Rose had never seen the Doctor do ever. She felt his clammy hand, which she never remembered being clammy before as the Doctor, and listened to him choke out,

"You woke me up too soon. I'm still regenerating. I'm bursting with energy." And to make his point he exhaled the golden energy from his mouth once more. Rose stared at the familiar waft of energy and was very worried.

"You see? The pilot fish could smell it a million miles away. So they eliminate the defense, that's you lot, and they carry me off. They could run their batteries on me for a couple of OW!" Declared the Doctor and then doubled over in pain again and fell to the other side of the balcony. He leaned on the guard rails as the three humans gathered around him literally and metaphorically clinging to him and his words. Jackie cried out in surprise and concern for the Doctor and tried to help steady him as Rose looked on, her heart aching with worry from not knowing what to do to help the Doctor.

"My head! I'm having a neuron implosion. I need…" Explained the Doctor, knowing exactly what he needed to treat this rather serious condition that was the equivalent of a really bad human migraine, but was interrupted by Jackie.

"What do you need?" Asked Jackie beginning to ramble on in a panic, while the Doctor just tried to spit out what he needed between the few moments that Jackie would pause in talking. If she would just shut up for a few moments more he could concentrate long enough for him to get out what he needed.

"Painkillers? Do you need aspirin? Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I don't know, Pepto-Bismol? Liquid paraffin. Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?" Asked Jackie rambling off all the pills that she could think of while the Doctor tried continually to get out the information.

"I need…" Stuttered the Doctor only to have his annoying mother-in-law interrupt him yet again!

"Is it food? Something simple. Bowl of soup. A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?" Quested Jackie bordering on hysterics. Finally having enough of Jackie's motor mouth he shouted,

"I need you to shut up." Jackie who felt that she was just trying to help was quite affronted and turning to her daughter and Mickey said rather miffed,

"Oh, he hasn't changed that much, has he?" The Doctor had another burst of regenerative energy and flung himself against the wall outside Jackie's flat. He then hissed in pain and once more slid half way to the ground. Rose rushed to his side and helped steady him on his feet.

"We haven't got much time. If there's pilot fish, then…" The Doctor tried to explain but when he felt a weight in his pocket and reaching in retrieved an apple. Perplexed he asked,

"Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?" As if it were the strangest thing he had seen today. Was it some kind of human custom that had slipped past his notice all these years? Jackie solved the mystery by explaining to the Doctor that it was Howards and she was sorry about that. She didn't realize that it was in there.

"He keeps apples in his dressing gown?" Asked the Doctor very confused as to the motive. Jackie told the Doctor that Howard gets hungry, to which the Doctor asked if he really got hungry in his sleep.

"Sometimes." Was all Jackie could give as an explanation. Unfortunately this distraction had eaten away at almost all the time the Doctor had left before he would have to slip back into his healing coma. Feeling another stab of pain he slumped down to the ground. He tried to hold on to consciousness and fight off his brain's desire to slip away from the waking world, but it was not good. The pain was too great and he could barely see straight now.

"Argh! Brain collapsing!" Sputtered the Doctor. Needing to warn Rose the Doctor turned to her and was greeted by scared and staring eyes. He didn't have time to worry about that though he needed to tell Rose what to do. Rose did not say a word but only listen to the sweating crazed looking man.

"The pilot fish. The pilot fish mean that something, something, something is coming." The Doctor then passed out. If Rose had to go through anymore of this her heart was going to break she thought as she tried to wake up the Doctor. But it was no use, he was out cold again. There was nothing to it but to take him back to bed.

* * *

John stared at the Time Lord once more in his study but on the floor passed out.

"You've got to mend your mind Doctor or we won't get anywhere fast. It's bad enough that we are here like this as it is." said John to the unconscious Doctor. The Time Lord's former self then walked up to the passed out brown haired man and turned him over so that he was on his back.

"I can't believe I wasted my time talking about apples. Guess I'm getting senile in my old age." Said the leather clad Doctor. He then grabbed the pretty boy and placed him on the settee.

"All we can do now is sit, wait and listen." Said John as he took his place again next to the phone.

* * *

Rose's heart was breaking just listening to the Doctor suffer. She got one last look at his left hand still wearing the wedding band that she had given to John, before she tucked his arm under the covers. Was it really the same man wearing that ring as before? Before he had at least been peacefully sleeping but now he was in so much pain. He shivered and shook seeming to be unable to regulate his body temperature. One moment he would be burning up with a fever the other he would have the chills. Rose had gone to the bathroom and had come back with a bowl of cool water and a soft rag. After soaking and ringing the rag, Rose began to mop his brow trying to help with sweat and keep him cool. Rose was right up next to him on the mattress and whispered comforting words to him as she stroked his brow, which seemed to help calm him for a little bit. His problem keeping a proper temperature was not his only issue. Rose had taken the stethoscope to his chest again and much to her horror, only one of his hearts seemed to be working now. Rose was now thankful for that redundant organ, which had in the past so strictly defined their differences. Otherwise the Doctor would be dead. But what if that one stopped working too? She could lose the Doctor, not before she even knew who it was she was losing. Rose had little understanding of the nature of time lords during regeneration. Even if this body was still a Time Lord's and the Doctor she did not know what was inside anymore. Was it really her Doctor or wasn't it? The uncertainty was eating her alive. Was what was left of the Doctor that she had spoken to earlier in the day, before he went crazy, being slowly eaten away? Did regeneration mean slowly and painfully becoming someone different and leaving everything about yourself before behind? It was starting to feel that way. Nothing had reminded her of the Doctor typical mannerisms for a while now, except that he had managed to wake up long enough to save them. Rose could not prove who it was, but for that sake that this could very well be her husband dying on this bed, she paid the man every attention. She even stroked his sideburns with the back of her finger because it seemed to help sooth him. He even leaned into her touch through the pain. Rose rested her head above his on top of the many pillows they had placed under his head.

"We need you, Doctor." Whispered Rose hoping that somewhere in there the Doctor could hear her plea for her husband to come back and be with her and their child.

Mickey at the moment had returned to the flat with his laptop only to be greeted with the sight of Rose being an ever attentive and caring spouse to a man who looked like a stranger to him. He didn't understand it, the man was probably dying and still he envied the tender affections that Rose was bestowing on the suffering man. Mickey went into the living room to set up his laptop with Jackie's permission to use the phone line. Mickey as well as everyone else in the Tyler flat wanted to know if they could find any clue as to what the Doctor had meant by pilot fish. Set up of Mickey's computer had not taken long, and Rose seeing that there was nothing left for her to do for the Doctor other than hover over his bed and watch him suffer, went into the living room to join her mother and friend. Jackie looked at the clock on her wall and then sadly to her daughter. This was probably one of the least merry Christmases that this family had had since the year Pete had died. The flat was trashed, her daughter's husband was ill and the Doctor's grim prediction of more trouble to come hung over the flat like a knife just about to come down. Rose was nervously playing with her hair as Jackie did the only thing she could to help comfort her daughter. Give her a cup of tea.

"It's midnight. Christmas day. Any change?" Asked Jackie, hopeful that Rose's alien husband would wake up a fix everything. Rose let out a sigh and plainly replied,

"He's worse. Just one heart beating." Rose wanted to cry but her emotions were so confused and so many at the moment that she couldn't fix on one long enough to display an emotion other than numb. Jackie then handed Rose some biscuits and instructed Rose to eat them.

"Oh Rose, please remember to eat. You haven't had a thing to eat in hours and it's not good for the little one." Rose took the food and starting eating not because she was hungry, she was too depressed for that, but her mother was right. She had yet another member of the family to take care of too. Rose wondered how great a mother she was going to be if she could so easily forget to do something as simple as eating for two. But to be fair it was an eventful day and it just seemed that crisis after crisis kept coming at her. Rose then took a sip of tea and sat down to watch the news with her mother. They were keeping an eye out for something in the media, but unfortunately because the Doctor had gone back to sleep, they had little idea what. The reporter on the television was talking about Scientist in charge of Britain's mission to Mars re-establishing contact with the Guinevere One space probe. Rose remembered hearing about that earlier but didn't realize that there had been trouble communicating with it. Rose figured that someone had probably pushed the wrong button that had cost a whole load of scientists their holiday this year.

Rose remembered once that The Doctor had taken her on a trip to see one of the major nonlethal Mars disasters of humanity in 1998. The Doctor had set up lawn chairs and a picnic on Mars' surface for them to 'watch the show' known as the Mars Climate orbiter. Half of her had wanted to feel sorry for the people running this doomed experiment, but the other half couldn't help but laugh when they watched a mars probe incorrectly enter the upper atmosphere of Mars and disintegrate. The Doctor had explained to Rose, what was going to happen as they set up the chairs. It seemed that this particular space disaster was going to happen simply because of engineering error.

"Specifically, the flight system software was written to take thrust instructions using metric units, while the software on the ground that generating those instructions used the Imperial units. It was a costly mistake that apparently made NASA really want to work towards doing things on the cheap from then on. I think it's good to have a sense of humor and a laugh at your mistakes." The Doctor had said as he sat back to watch mankind bumble its way to the stars. Rose thought that the Doctor should take his own advice since whenever he screwed up and Rose tried to take the superior Time Lord down a peg, he was often grouchy. Rose sat herself down on the surprisingly comfy lawn chair and kicked up some red dirt on the ground. She still marveled at the TARDIS' ability to shield them on a hostile surface like Mars so that she could walk out in just her street clothing. A few minutes later of eating and the Doctor had pointed skyward and they had watched a 'human blunder'. It was a shame that humanity had had to lose such an expensive probe for that reason, but still it had at least looked really pretty as it burnt up.

* * *

The News anchor had gone on about pictures from the surface of Mars being transmitted soon, but Rose didn't really care. All that remembering of happier times spent with the Doctor had made her depressed. The News show then cut to some mousy looking bald man with a beard talking about being back on schedule while reporters asked about technical issues and why they had lost contact with the probe earlier. The man was more than happy to assure that all was well now before going off to get back to work on the project.

"Here we go, pilot fish. Scavengers, like the Doctor said. Harmless. They're tiny. But the point is, the little fish swim alongside the big fish." Explained Mickey to Rose as they watched a video online about pilot fish. Rose had asked if Mickey was referring to something like a shark to which Mickey answered the affirmative.

"Great big sharks. So, what the Doctor means is, we had them, now we get that." Said Mickey pointing to a menacing Shark. Rose was now very worried for the Earth and pondered how close this bigger meaner thing could be. Mickey had to admit that he did not know but since pilot fish never strayed too far from the big fish, he had to assume that whatever was coming was closer to them than they'd like it to be.

"Something is coming." Said Rose as she parroted what the Doctor had said earlier in such an eerie voice. She could feel it in her bones that they were in deep trouble.

"Funny sort of rocks." Noted Jackie as she watched the live feed, supposedly, being transmitted from the surface of Mars. The news man seemed excited, but Rose on the other hand was not.

"That's not rocks." Stated Rose with worry on her voice. The Newsreader kept on talking until it became clear to him as it was to Rose and any other viewer with half a brain that the video feed was not of rocks, but a red-eyed ugly alien with a head like a goat's skull. It growled and gurgled at the screen making everyone watching ill at ease. Once the newsreader had got his wits about him he made sure to announce that this unique news report was made by his news channel and network. Throughout the Earth other media networks were reporting on the alien encounter and speculating what was to happen next. Did this mean good news or bad news for humanity? All of humanity was wondering this, but Rose Tyler Smith and the rest of the occupants of the Tyler home knew that this meant trouble.

"Rose. Take a look. I've got access to the military. They're tracking a spaceship. It's big, it's fast, and it's coming this way." Rose drew her worried eyes away from the Television and ran over to where Mickey was sitting at his laptop. Rose did not like this one bit. If the last bunch of aliens were hostile to them, it wasn't much of a stretch to suspect these ones of something equally sinister.

"Coming for what, though? The Doctor?" Asked Rose make a quick glance back to her bedroom where the Doctor was out cold. His groans of pain could still be heard from the bedroom from time to time. They were not loud enough that Mickey or Jackie would hear them but Rose's ear was so trained on the man's voice that she couldn't help but catch every small noise he made. What were they to do? They couldn't defend the Doctor against a Christmas tree. How were they to protect him from a spaceship full of advanced and most likely hostile aliens? Rose hugged her stomach, her protective instinct kicking in at the thought of danger approaching her family. This was certainly way too much stress on a new mother than should be expected. Rose's thoughts although they seemed to take an hour were but the span of a few moments before Rose was drawn back into reality by Mickey answering her question.

"I don't know. Maybe it's coming for all of us." Said Mickey grimly and with very little optimism in his voice.

Suddenly on Mickey's laptop there was the clear image of four of the aliens that they had seen on the television moments ago. One began speaking some kind of gibberish that Rose could not understand which was very unusual since she had been traveling with the Doctor for months without ever having a communication problem with any alien species…And she had met aliens with three sets of mouths that talked three sets of different conversations at once! That she had no trouble following! Mickey was clueless as to what these creatures were. He had only ever seen the big bog monster aliens before and hoped that Rose in all her travels would recognize them.

"Have you seen them before?" He asked hopeful. Rose had to reply the negative, she had never seen these creepy and imposing aliens before.

"I don't understand what they're saying. The TARDIS translates alien languages inside my head, all the time, wherever I am." Stated Rose plainly her voice sounding more and more upset. This was of great concern. If the TARDIS could no longer translate languages for her than the Doctor's condition was worse than Rose had suspected.

"So, why isn't it doing it now?" questioned Mickey.

"I don't know. Must be the Doctor. Like he's part of the circuit, and he's, he's broken." Mourned Rose as she turned her head towards her room. What had happened to her Time Lord? Why was this happening to him now when he was needed the most? Rose's thoughts went back to her leather clad time Lord with cropped hair and she would give anything to see that man walk out of that room and tell her that everything was under control and he'd have it all sorted before tea. And then in her perfect world they would then start discussing about making plans for the baby and who knows, they might even start baby proofing the TARDIS. But that man, strong, brave and proven, who had weathered every storm and came out on top, was gone now. And this new person, new man, this stranger, and untested wildcard was all that the world had left to help them now. And he was broken. Rose felt dread for her family if things continued in this manner.

* * *

"Despite claims of an alien hoax, it's been reported that NATO forces are on red alert." Announced an American news reporter on the television. It had been two hours and already the world seemed to be in a hysterical panic. Noises of panicked Londoners outside and inside the building could be heard. It was Jackie's turn to watch the Doctor and she couldn't help her mothering instincts kicking in at the sight of the poor man suffering. He had wanted something earlier to make himself better and Jackie was feeling bad about wasting his time awake before. True she had been trying to help, but if she had not panicked and had just listened to him then the Doctor might have been feeling better by now, the aliens would be sorted, and Rose could have a much needed discussion with her husband. If only she would get two words out of him, she could get him what he needed.

"Oh, come on, sweetheart. What do you need? What is it you need? Tell me." Asked Jackie of the Time Lord soothingly as he continued to shiver and moan in pain. Jackie tried to be diligent in her watch on the Doctor, but it was late or rather early and after all the excitement, Jackie needed sleep and reluctantly her eyes began to droop and she rested her head on the side of the mattress that the Doctor was sleeping on. Only one thought graced her thoughts before she fell asleep,

'Get up and take care of my daughter and grandbaby, ya daft alien.'

* * *

Rose had managed some light dozing on the couch in front of the television, but she had set her wrist watch timer and it was now her turn to watch after the Doctor. It was dawn and looking at the television, she saw that in the time she had been asleep the world had not gotten any calmer and with a sinking feeling she heard the news reader say speak more about how this was the Earth's darkest hours and speculations were running wild as to the fate of the earth once our 'guests' arrived. Rose looked to the other end of the couch and saw Mickey had also been awaken by the sound of her watch. She gestured an apology but he waved it off and the two went to check on the Doctor. Rose went to her room and the only change in the room was Jackie was asleep. The Doctor did not seem to be any better. She observed the Doctor for a bit longer, lying there dead to the world and Rose found herself at her wits end. She couldn't take the uncertainty, worry and dread of what was in store for the Earth and her own family anymore. Rose was very close to flat out braking down.

"The Doctor wouldn't do this. The old Doctor, the proper Doctor, he'd wake up. He'd save us." Mourned Rose trying to keep it together.

"You really love him, don't you?" Asked Mickey solemnly finally acknowledging his defeat as he gave Rose a hug for support. Well she had initiated the hug, but she wasn't hugging him as a lover would but as a friend would at such a devastating situation. He didn't know why he had held on to any hope of ever winning Rose back. The baby should have been the final nail in that coffin. Still, for all the pain that he had felt in relation with this woman, he still could not stand to see her upset. There would be no one else for Rose but the Doctor. Rose and Mickey's moment however was interrupted by clear voice of her mother's neighbor Sandra outside the flat near the railings. Worried for the neighbor woman who Rose was fond of she poked her head outside just as Sandra and her husband were passing the door.

"What is wrong with you? Jason? Jason?" Cried out Sandra to her blank faced husband. Mickey was close behind Rose as she ran up to the upset woman.

"Sandra?" Asked Rose wondering what was going on so early in the morning on Christmas day of all days. Happy to finally have help or at least someone to help her figure out what was going on,

"He won't listen. He's just walking. He won't stop walking! There's this sort of light thing. Jason? Stop it right now! Please, Jason, just stop." Cried out Sandra not knowing what to do to help her spouse. Sandra went off following her husband and Rose and Mickey looked over the railing to see lots of people walking through the estate and seemingly heading to higher ground. Rose had a yet another sinking feeling of what was going on as she followed Sandra following her husband up to the roof. Rose and Mickey's suspicions were correct for some reason all of these people were heading to the roof and standing right on the edge. It looked very much like they were going to jump and there were so many people there was no way that they could save them all. Sandra herself was finding that her husband was fighting against every pull she made to pull him away from the edge of the building.

"Jason, I'm talking to you! Just stop!" Sandra cried as Rose and Mickey watched helplessly.

"What do we do?" Implored Mickey of Rose, the wife of the supposed great saver of Earth. Rose looked around and was beside herself. The problem was on too big a scale for a little human like herself to ever tackle on her own. She was powerless and lost. She had no answers, no direction, no hope as to how to help this many people.

"Nothing. There's no one to save us. Not anymore." Said Rose in defeat, she had given up on the Doctor coming back to save them. The Earth was on its own and as was she and the baby. Not knowing what else to do Rose went back to her mother's flat, all the while praying that the Doctor was showing some sign of progress. On the TV Rose heard Harriet Jones making a plea to the Doctor to help save the Earth but she knew that he would not be coming and that the Earth's cry for help would go unanswered. Rose went back to her room to the Doctor's side. She too didn't know what to do or how to help anyone. She needed the Doctor's help and she choked back tears as she watched the Doctor continue to sleep when he was needed the most.

* * *

"Really you're bloody ironing your shirts, now?!" Questioned the leather clad Doctor indignantly. John put down his iron and glared at his doppelganger. He swore all this guy had going for him was good looks.

"Well what else do you want me to do? Pace like a caged animal, as you're doing? It relaxes me and I've got not much else to do around here waiting for himself to get his head together." Hissed John as he turned off his iron.

"Technically it's your head too, so put that little human brain to use and try to help me think of a faster way to fix this place, so we can wake up. If sleeping cutie there had managed his time better, we could be protecting Rose!" Barked the shorn haired Doctor to John as he turned over the ironing board in frustration and chucked the iron through one of the fewer swirling vortexes about the house. John wondered how it was that this 'person' in front of him could be over 800 years his senior and still throw a fit like a child. It was impossible for him, the 41 year old human persona, to be the mature one, but there it was.

"Well things must be getting a little better since our thoughts are merging a bit more with him." Said John pointing at the Doctor asleep on the couch.

"I'm starting to feel like I'm standing here talking to you and lying asleep on the couch too. Pretty soon we'll be one mind again and not fractured pieces simulating various personalities. In spite of present company that is a good thing." Noted John as he crossed his arms and stared down 'himself'.

John let out a sigh, he wished that he was a real being and not just this ghost of thoughts the Doctor once had as John. Or maybe he didn't because then he'd have to watch yet again from his perspective another man get his wife. John knew it was silly to think that way even though he would eventually be the same person again and he was technically thinking for himself and then not at all as himself but as the Doctor. If he had consciousness any longer he was going to start understanding Time Lord confusing terminology for situations like these, because he would have become a Time Lord again. John also had a suspicion that this twin of his was feeling much the same, as he too would have to 'step aside' and yet not, for this other Doctor who was going to get to be with Rose and their child. He would have liked to have held his child as 'John' or at least been able to look forward to it as John, but he could not be selfish. This was about Rose and their child's safety, and in order to do that they had to get better, fast, so he could wake up. The ninth incarnation of the Doctor grumbled knowing that this was true that things were improving, that progress was being made, but replied,

"But it's not fast enough! Who knows what trouble is going on out there? Rose is counting on us to pull through and save the day." Seeing that his double was still agitated, John thought that he might tease him to put some wind out of his sails. Throwing a fit wasn't going to help get back to Rose any faster.

"I swear it's like looking at the 'bad boy' biker version of myself. You even are in leather." Said John rolling his eyes, as he much preferred clothing that breathed and with some colors to them. And that was when they over heard Rose's voice and her words were heart wrenching to them.

* * *

Rose could take it no more, she had tried. Lord, how she had tried to be brave and remain calm, but she could do so no more and finally bursts into tears and wailed in complete and total loss. He wasn't coming back. This was a different Doctor. Whoever he was now, he was not her Doctor. He had died and left her just as John had and she and her child were now very much on their own. Jackie hearing her daughter ran to her side as Rose leaned on the door frame to her bedroom for support. Her tears falling freely and painfully. She had to accept it out loud and grasping on to her mother Rose sobbed,

"He's gone. The Doctor's gone. He's left me, mum. He's left me, mum." Rose should have known that it would end like this. The universe couldn't have been kind enough to let her keep her husband and raise a family together too. She wished that she had not set herself up for so much disappointment, but humans were fed the idea of happy endings and happily-ever-afters so much, how could she not have planned on it all working out in the end. Especially once the Doctor had started warming up to the idea of the life they could have together. Or after finally having the guts to tell him that they were going to be a mummy and a daddy, despite all biological odds. Having so much to gain from the future only made it all the more painful at its sudden loss. Jackie had to keep Rose from slumping to the floor as she tried to comfort her daughter. All she had ever wanted was for Rose to be happy. And even if they survived this new alien threat, Jackie knew that it would be a very long time, if ever, that Rose would be happy again. Jackie kissed her daughter on the head and soothed.

"It's all right. I'm sorry." Though Jackie knew things were anything but alright. It was however a good thing that they had all been away from the windows as suddenly, all the glass in the block of flats if not all over the city had shattered. This effectively got Jackie and Rose's attentions as they realized that their extraterrestrial 'guests' had arrived.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**** Poor Rose, man I'll be happy when we get to the next chapter and I can get to the really fun off scripting. John and the ninth Doctor seem to be butting heads, I think it's because they are too much alike, heh. Though they love the same woman so doesn't that make them on the same side? Tell me what you think about the chapter. Comments are always appreciated. **


	4. Chapter 4 - Knight on a cup of White tea

**Complications**

By The Plot Thinens

**Chapter 4 – Knight on a cup of White tea**

* * *

Both men were silent as they heard Rose's heart wrenching declaration to her mother. That was it. Rose had given up on him. They knew not what pained them more, the sound of Rose's anguish from not being able to understand what regeneration meant or that Rose could lose faith in the Doctor. His sudden changes had been too much for her and she had lost hope in him that he would come back. The Doctor's conscious personalities were feeling guilt and disappointment all at once. The leather clad Doctor had died for Rose, as willingly as Rose had been ready to die for him. 'Didn't that harbor more trust?' The shorn haired Doctor wondered.

"I know what you are thinking, but keep in mind I barely understand any of this and I'm inside this bloody head. How is Rose to understand any of this? Talking to her will help, Rose will listen and she'll get it, because she's Rose." Advised John. This Doctor was just spent, he'd been through so much, he was impatient to finally settle things with Rose, even though he personally wasn't the personality who got to do it, and he had a baby on the way. His thoughts were so many and there was so much to do that it was torture to have to wait. This Time Lord generally hated waiting which was why he liked to skip to the good stuff, on the slow path was killing him.

* * *

The Sonic wave from the spaceship hitting the earth's atmosphere had shattered every bit of glass. Rose, Jackie and Mickey crept up to the windows of the flat and looked out to the street bellow to see glass all over the place. Rose turned her head upward and saw that every building's windows were blown out. It was amazing what goes through your head in just a moment when you are presented with a situation so surreal. Think about it, every window, gone. Rose wondered how many people had been injured by falling glass. All the panic and mayhem. Not to mention the price of damages to replace it all. All those priceless stain glass windows that the Doctor had loved looking at and showing her, partly because most of the famous ones he had had a hand in making. She even wondered if any animals at the London zoo were now on the loose too. Not even touched ground yet and already these aliens were proving to be costly and dangerous visitors. Rose and Mickey went down to ground level outside to get a better look at what had caused this trouble. As they stood amongst the glass shards near the TARDIS they saw what appeared to be this big floating powered rock with nasty pointy bits in it glide right overhead. It had to be as big as London and Rose felt very small and very helpless. She knew what was going to happen next. She had seen enough worlds and aliens. If she could not save the Earth by herself, then she could at least save her family. If there was to be an invasion then the safest place for them to wait it out and try to figure out what to do next was inside the TARDIS. She had shielding and a cloaking device built it to her, surely the TARDIS could keep them hidden. Not having a moment to lose as she feared an invasion was imminent, Rose raced back into the flat with her mother and Mickey in hot pursuit.

"Mickey, we're going to carry him. Mum, get your stuff, and get some food. We're going." Commanded Rose as she ran into her room to collect the sleeping man on the bed.

"Where to?" Asked Mickey in confusion. Rose was getting frustrated that the people around her were so slow on the uptake but she nicely and quickly explained,

"The TARDIS. It's the only safe place on Earth." Jackie did not like the TARDIS and the idea of going into that creepy ship was not a pleasant idea to her. She also didn't understand what they could do in the TARDIS differently from what they were doing now in the flat. She also hoped that Rose wasn't planning on taking that crazy box for a spin, since Rose had driven the TARDIS once before.

"What're we going to do in there?" she questioned. Rose told her that they were going to hide as it was to her quite obvious. Jackie had thought that Rose had had some kind of plan, but was that it? Just hide?

"Is that it?" asked Jackie astonished. For all the time that Rose had travelled with the Doctor, Rose had always seemed to be running toward danger, not hiding from it.

"Mum, look in the sky. There's a great, big, alien invasion and I don't know what to do, all right? I've travelled with him, and I've seen all that stuff, but when I'm stuck at home, I'm useless. Now, all we can do is run and hide, and I'm sorry. Now, move. Oh, lift him up." Rose declared in a speeding voice as she tried to lift the Doctor from the bed. It wasn't helping that the man was completely dead weight and not helping her at all in getting up. Rose was sure she would throw out her back as Mickey grabbed for the Doctor's legs. The Doctor began to shiver some more and concerned for the man Rose leaned the sleeping man over onto Mickey and grabbed for the dressing gown he had been wearing earlier. While Rose was dressing the Doctor for the elements, Jackie was already in the Kitchen gathering as many supplies as she could for an undisclosed amount of time in the blue box.

* * *

Rose and Mickey started carrying the Doctor out of the flat. He was not light and Rose had to choke up her grip on him several times as they brought him down the narrow balcony. Mickey saw how much that Rose was struggling and wanted to voice his disapproval.

"You shouldn't be liftin' im in your condition, Rose." Said Mickey worried for Rose and her baby. Rose was in no mood to be wrapped up in cotton wool simply because of her being pregnant. She was more than capable of doing this right now.

"I'm fine Mickey, I'm not far along enough for this to be a problem. Besides you can't carry him this far all on your own. If we distribute the weight evenly then it's no more of a chore than lifting groceries." Declared Rose as she chocked up her hold on the Doctor's arms yet again. However, Rose was indeed very tired, and the thought of carrying the Doctor down all those stairs seemed like an impossible task. Heck technically she was helping to carry two people. If her mother were to help then they probably would be in the TARDIS in five minutes.

Jackie also was struggling with weight as she carried half a dozen carrier bags full of provisions. Rose looked back at her mother struggling and now very impatient to get them all out of harm's way shouted at her in a panicked voice,

"Mum, will you just leave that stuff and give us a hand?" Growled Rose, very frustrated that her mother was taking everything but the kitchen sink with them at this point.

"It's food! You said we need food." Barked Jackie back, just about fed up with her impatient daughter.

"Just leave it!" Shouted Rose as they continued to carry the Doctor down the first flight of stairs. Jackie just shrugged and placed a few of the bags down, she could come back for them later she reasoned.

* * *

Jackie followed close behind the two Smiths as they entered the TARDIS and looked about the TARDIS apprehensively before moving to place down her bags. She then began to shuffle through the bags and Mickey and Rose started talking.

"No chance you could fly this thing?" Asked Mickey has he helped carry the Doctor through the TARDIS doors. If things were going to go south in London, then he wouldn't mind if Rose could fly them to Australia to hide out. As he still thought that a wooden blue box sitting in the Powell Estate, no matter how alien, wasn't the ideal place to be.

"Not anymore, no." Answered Rose plainly as she helped carried the Doctor over to the console.

"Well, you did it before." Noted Mickey, not seeing how she could forget so easily, since she seemed to have done it so well the last time.

"I know, but it's sort of been wiped out of my head, like it's forbidden. Try that again and I think the Universe rips in half." Answered Rose wondering how that information had been implanted in her head. She then helped gently place the sleeping man on the grating beside the TARDIS console. It was weird she tried to remember how to do things on the console to fly the TARDIS but it was like a wall was in the way and all she could remember was just the Doctor telling her to pull this lever and that switch without explaining the why. What was also weird was that she could not feel the warm presence of the TARDIS like she usually could. Without the Doctor it was lonely empty and feeling very lifeless inside the time and spaceship. It only made Rose long for her Doctor all the more and yet another reminder that the TARDIS and the Doctor were broken possibly beyond repair.

"Ah, better not, then." Said Mickey a little nervous, he liked the universe and didn't want to see it ripped apart.

"Maybe not." Said Rose sarcastically in return.

"So, what do we do? Just sit here?" Asked Mickey, only to be answered by a groaning Rose as she leaned back against the TARDIS and declared,

"That's as good as it gets." She didn't know what Mickey was complaining about. She had no plan but she was at the very least providing him with the safest haven on Earth at the moment. Rose was angry that she was so powerless, angry at the Doctor for leaving her and angry that there was nothing she could do about it. Jackie wanting to lift the grim mood pulled out a thermos of tea and announced,

"Right, here we go. Nice cup of tea." Rose just rolled her eyes. There was an alien invasion going on outside and her mother's best solution was a tea party.

"Mmm, the solution to everything." Replied Rose sarcastically. Jackie wasn't going to take any lip from her daughter and snipped back,

"Now, stop your moaning. I'll get the rest of the food." Jackie handed the thermos off to Mickey and then stepped out of the TARDIS to grab the remaining bags that she had dropped outside the flat earlier. Rose brought her eyes back down to the sleeping man and couldn't help a new rush of worry. Was she doing the right thing? Had she done everything that could be done to help the man at her feet? Would they even be safe in the TARDIS? She knew that it had had a shield put on it during battle with the Daleks, but was it even turned on or still working now. She wondered what the Doctor would do in this situation, but she was drawing a blank. The Doctor wouldn't be stuck here like this he would know what to do and would actually know what all of this tech in this spaceship that she called her home did. She felt ever much the pretender. There was nothing special about her. She was just a primitive human who had been riding on the coattails of an alien a million years more advanced than her.

"Tea. Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British." Declared Mickey, who was now holding the thermos of tea. He turned to her and saw that Rose was barely paying attention and staring at the man now on the floor. Trying to distract Rose, Mickey then decided to change the subject and piped up about the first thing he saw.

"How does this thing work?" Asked Mickey as he pointed to the monitor on the TARDIS console,

"If it picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered. What do you do to it?" Said Mickey trying to keep down the mood of helplessness that Rose was emitting. If they could at least know what was going on then they could set about what to do next. Maybe…well it was worth a shot.

"I don't know. It sort of tunes itself." Declared Rose in an annoyed voice, as she tried to tune the monitor in, it was usually easy to do. Rose turned knobs and flicked buttons feeling a great emptiness in her head as she tried to recover basic information from the TARDIS monitors, only to get more swirling runes she couldn't read.

* * *

As the two humans were observing the screen on the console they were unaware that by activating it, they had made their presence known to the very alien threat that they were hiding from. But although Mickey and Rose were unaware of this fact, to Jackie it was made amazingly clear. Jackie upon gathering up the last of her provisions for hiding out in the TARDIS noticed a strange blue light surround the TARDIS. She wondered vaguely if that was some normal alien thing the TARDIS did, but she couldn't remember seeing it happen before. Then the TARDIS seemed to fade out and shoot up in the direction of the alien ship over head. It took her a minute to realized what had happened and now as she helplessly cried out for her daughter, she could only imagine where the spaceship carrying her daughter had gone and what new danger her only child and grandbaby were now facing.

Still there were only odd pattern on the scanner of the TARDIS console and Mickey and Rose had no clue what it meant or said. Rose was very miffed since usually the TARDIS translated for her everything, well most things. But again that was a reminder that everything had gone to hell in a flaming hand basket and that the Earth, her and her family's future remained uncertain. Once more crushing loss and uncertainty pushed down on her until she felt as if her soul had been smooshed down all the way to her soles.

"Maybe it's a distress signal." Suggested Mickey as he looked over the odd Galifreyan runes on the screen.

"A fat lot of good that's going to do, this is the last TARDIS and that on the ground there is the Last Time Lord. There is no one out there to help." Snarked Rose.

"Are you going to be a misery all the time?" Hissed Mickey very fed up with Rose's attitude. He was only trying to help and she was well, starting to act like the Doctor did whenever the Doctor had talked to him. Rose probably had been around 'old big ears' for too long. If and when sleeping beauty on the floor ever woke up, Mickey wondered how much of an ass he was going to be too.

"Yes. Pregnant and a misery. Wanna try messing with those hormones?" Grumbled Rose back to Mickey, they were both at their wits end and with the ever rising stakes and pressure they two were short tempered to say the least. Mickey wanted to bring the conversation back to some semblance of civil, so in an attempt to do so, Mickey tried once again to use humor.

"You should look at it from my point of view, stuck in here with your mum's cooking." He joked a bit nervously as he wasn't sure how much Rose was in the mood to have jabs taken at her mother's culinary skills. Though both Rose and Mickey knew that it was a fact that all Jackie could get right in the kitchen was tea. But Rose did not bite his head off. To his relief, it did seem to lighten the mood and she relaxed some. However, all that talk of Jackie only made Rose wonder what was keeping her mother when there was an alien attack about to begin any minute.

"Where is she? I'd better give her a hand. It might start raining missiles out there." Said Rose in a snarky voice as she walked past the sleeping Time Lord.

"Tell her anything from a tin, that's fine." Called Mickey after Rose. Rose was always amazed by how scared the men in her life were of her mother. She really wondered if she had been raised by a human being in their eyes or a she-wolf. More like a grizzly bear. This sort of put her in a better mood enough to tease Mickey a little.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Rose called out in a jeering voice as she walked to the TARDIS doors. Mickey was sure that the only thing on this planet that was safe from the wrath of Jackie Tyler was Rose. Mickey walked a bit closer to where the Doctor was lying and jokingly replied that he was not that brave.

"Oh, I don't know." Smiled Rose as she opened the TARDIS door, Mickey was a lot braver than he gave himself credit for. That was for sure. After all he had faced off with aliens before too. Rose then stepped outside of the TARDIS only to be grabbed by a Sycorax as soon as she closed the door. Once she realized what was happening, as the change in scenery had confused her, she screamed bloody murder. Mickey even through the closed doors heard this and in concern called out to her and then ran to her. Forgetting about anything else, Mickey dropped the open container of tea near where the Doctor was lying very nearly scalding the unconscious man with the hot liquid.

Outside the TARDIS Mickey found a very alien environment and definitely not the Powell Estate.

"Get off! Get off me!" Mickey heard Rose screech and saw that she was being roughly led away from the TARDIS by those goat skull aliens. Rose turned back at the sound of Mickey's shouts and realizing that Mickey had left the TARDIS door open.

"The door! Close the door!" Shouted Rose, knowing that even though she was in danger she could not risk them getting at the man inside or the technology that the TARDIS had to offer a more advanced civilization. Mickey ran back and managed to get there and close the door of the TARDIS just before a goat skull alien was able to grab him.

* * *

The tea that Mickey had dropped was dripping down onto TARDIS workings underneath the time console and caused it to smoke and spark. All the while the aliens called Sycorax cheered that they had captured the alien technology that the foolish humans thought that they could hide from them. Rose was dragged to middle of what looked like amphitheater pit and looked about to see thousands of hostile alien. They were not very gentle with her at all and several times Rose had to turn away from her captors to avoid them slamming her in the gut. It was then that Rose spotted, strangely enough, a very familiar face. Harriet Jones, along with another young man with dark hair holding some bit of tech. Jones spotted Rose to and was looking at her as if she were her salvation. Practically throwing herself at Rose she pulled the blond into a hug,

"Rose. Rose! I've got you. My Lord. Oh, my precious thing. The Doctor, is he with you?" She begged Rose as she held her close. Rose hugged Harriet, very happy to have the comfort while she stared in horror at the scary aliens surrounding her. She knew what Harriet was hoping her presence meant and she was devastated that she could not deliver on that hope. The man that had saved the two of them the last time was not more and with a heavy heart Rose relayed the grim news to Harriet.

"No. We're on our own." Rose stated trying not to shake as the words hit her just as hard. Tea vapors were now rising through the floor grating and the Doctor was breathing them in, while exhaling more golden energy. He was rapidly improving.

After it had been made known via the vortex that Rose had lost hope that the Doctor would return to her, the vigil around the Doctor in John Smith's Study had been a gloomy affair indeed. They realized that this was an unusual circumstance, but they had hoped that it would not have weighed on Rose this way. It had broken Rose, the regeneration. How ironic since it had been done as a result of saving Rose and to save the Doctor from death. The two twin looking men watched their counterpart who began to suddenly twitch after hours it seemed of doing nothing. That was when everything started to change.

"What's going on?" Asked John as he looked about the room which was quickly starting to repair itself.

"Looks like we've finally got what we needed." Beamed the cropped haired Doctor, relieved that they would finally be back in the waking world and able to do something useful than just lay around like a lump on a log. The Doctor lying on the settee finally was coming around and sat up looking at his two counterparts. Everything was as clear as day to him and his Time Lord brain was back in action and working in overdrive. The cropped haired Doctor was actually a bit taken aback by how much energy this new him had and also a bit put off by it. He was like a puppy on sugar the way the wild-haired Doctor was moving about the room planning. The Doctor turned to his old selves and made his ideas verbally known, although he did not have to as they both were becoming the same person again and could read his thoughts.

"Right, once thing set in order here, we'll all just be memories again. I'm afraid that my memories only developed personalities and sentience out of necessity to aid in the preservation and recovery of my mind during a neural implosion. Sort of like an emergency backup to keep my past memories safe. Which I suppose is a good thing, but I don't need a multiple personality disorder atop everything else that is wrong with me." He stated to the room, not realizing what a somewhat-rude statement that had been to his old selves. The cropped haired Doctor had his misgivings, hoping that this new him could get the job done, but it was him, so there was no hoping, he knew he could save the day. It was a fact, he just knew that this new him's style of getting things done was probably going to take some getting used to. John had similar uneasiness but this person full of energy looked anything but useless and he even knew what he was thinking before he said it, proof to him that they were melding back into a fully functional mind again. John only had some advance to give the man who was him and protector of his Rose and currently growing family.

"Remember we are your past lives, don't deny or fight us. Let's work together. We make you stronger not weaker." Said John Smith as he felt the waking world drawing closer. The shorn haired Doctor just crossed his arms and said,

"Oi, pretty boy. Don't be anything less than fantastic to Rose, or I'll find some way to punch you for it. She's just upset but things can be turn around. Still the Doctor, still her Doctor, just a different face." The Doctor nodded and then he felt the cold grating of the floor of the TARDIS Console room and sat up to see a thermos on the floor. He smiled.

* * *

Rose was scared near out of her wits and so was every human standing beside her. They were surrounded by hostile, and now Rose had learned from Harriet, murderous aliens, the Sycorax. Rose stood there with her feet planted on the ground and not moving anytime soon as she stared at who she assumed was the leader of these fearsome aliens. She kept her arms pinned to her sides, not daring to show any signs that she was with child, she didn't want to give them something else to threaten her with. The leader began to hiss out some form of intimidating sounding alien language and she was wishing the Doctor, her hero in leather were by her side. She could not understand what the leader was saying but then the dark haired man standing near her seemingly began to translate for them. Thank goodness for that at least. The man called Alex spoke as he read his translation device aloud,

"The yellow girl. She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet." Harriet was horrified that Rose, who she still viewed as a child should be put in such a spot, when she as the Prime Minister should be the only one to hold such a burden. She also knew the risk that Rose was would be talking just addressing this murdering creature. Harriet had already watched helplessly as two of her staff had been horribly murdered in front of her and she could not bear the idea of Rose as another pile of smoking bones on the dirty floor of this godforsaken hell hole.

"But she can't." Protested Harriet, trying to save Rose for as long as she could.

"Yeah, I can." Insisted Rose, but Mickey leaned forward and declared in a worried voice,

"Don't you dare."

"Someone's got to be the Doctor." Rose stated as she took her first step forward only to be held back by Harriet who warned,

"They'll kill you." Rose was by no means suicidal, she had her baby to think of, but at the same time there was no other way out but to try to talk her way out of it. It's what the Doctor would do. At least she thought that it was what he would do. With more bravery then she felt Rose said,

"Never stopped him." The Doctor was not here and she had to try and save the Earth, every human in this cave like ship, and her baby…no problem, yeah? She approached the Sycorax leader only to be greeted with its grim face and a wall of deafening roars from all the aliens above and around her. With a shaky tone Rose said in a voice that was barely worthy of public speaking,

"I, er, I address the Sycorax according to Article Fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation. I command you to leave this world with all the authority of the Slitheen Parliament of Raxacoricofallapatorius, and er, the Gelth Confederacy as er, sanctioned by the Mighty Jagrafess and, oh, the Daleks! Now, leave this planet in peace! In peace..." Rose had tried her best and had sewn together every alien and authoritative sounding alien thing that she could remember the Doctor saying. The bit with the Shadow Proclaimation, she hoped sounded good but the rest she wasn't so sure of. Her heart sank when her words brought about a loud burst of laughter from The Sycorax. Clearly what Rose was selling, they were not buying. The Sycorax leader began to talking again while menacingly pointing at Rose and Alex began to translate again.

"You are very, very funny. And now you're going to die." Alex said and every human heart in the room froze over. The Sycorax leader than pulled out his whip, which Harriet had seen earlier used to kill her two staff members.

"Leave her alone!" Shouted Harriet and Mickey in a similar fashion threatening the Sycorax,

"Don't touch her!" He yelled.

Horror-struck, over come with maternal instinct and the desire to not let another person die in front of her Harriet along with Mickey lunged at the leader only to be held back by two armed guards.

"Leave her alone." Harriet shouted again knowing that there was nothing she could do to save the brave woman as the leader walked up to Rose to ready himself to kill her. Rose stood there as afraid as a deer in the headlights. She had no hope of getting out of this alive and apologized to everyone in her head that she had failed to do what the Doctor could have so easily done if he had not been broken beyond repair. Rose held true to her conviction not to give her condition away, even though she knew that there was no point to it now. But it at least made her feel a little better knowing that she guarded her child from danger until the end and with her own life. She was just sorry that by her dying her child would be forced to as well. She hoped that it would be quick and painless, but from the show that this alien was making, her death would be a statement and a public spectacle. All the while the Sycorax circled the terrified Rose, intentionally being as threatening as it could and invading Rose's personal space. Alex dreading what he would read next from the translator as the vile monster began to talk again read aloud,

"Did you think you were clever with your stolen words? We are the Sycorax, we stride the darkness. Next to us you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion…" But suddenly the gibberish that the Sycorax had been speaking early now sounded like English and Alex at first not realizing what was happening continued to read along.

"Then your world will be gutted…" Said the Sycorax and Alex read the same.

"And your people enslaved." The skull wearing alien hissed. Suddenly Rose was understanding what the alien was saying and so were the other humans there. The alien had been taking in another language, why now would it be 'courteous' now enough to let them know what it was saying to them?

"Hold on, that's English." Pointed out Alex, to which Harriet agreed,

"He's talking English." Amazed as well and confused Rose stated to the alien,

"You're talking English."

"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile." Shouted the alien affronted and also confused that these primitives were now somehow speaking in his tongue. Rose was now coming to a fast conclusion and taking a step back and pointing at the alien asked Mickey,

"That's English. Can you hear English?" Harriet nodded to Rose and Mickey agreed that the alien was speaking English.

"Definitely English." Stated Alex putting down his translator as it was now of no use. The alien was fed up with this distraction.

"I speak only Sycoraxic!" Roared the alien, insulted by these primitive life form's accusations. Rose could not help but begin to perk up at this realization and in hope and disbelief she stated in a voice very breathy and almost hyperventilating,

"If I can hear English, then it's being translated. Which means it's working. Which means…" She then turned around to face the TARDIS and looking past everyone saw the TARDIS doors opening. And even though it was not her leather Doctor who opened the doors, as he began to speak, Rose felt overwhelming joy and relief dance across her single heart.

"Honey, I'm home. Did you miss me?" Smirked the Doctor as he held the doors of the TARDIS open. Infuriated by the presence of this new human The Sycorax cracked his whip only to find that he did not get the same result as he had with the last two humans. The Doctor caught the end of the whip with his arm and pulled it free from the alien's hand.

"You could have someone's eye out with that." Scolded the Doctor as if he were speaking to a child as he approached the angry alien. It could not believe that it was being defied by yet another ridiculous looking human.

"How dare…!" Hissed the Sycorax leader, who tried to swing his club at the Doctor only to have The Doctor take the alien's thick club away and break it across his Time Lord knee like it was nothing. Whatever this thing was, the Sycorax was fast realizing that it was no ordinary human, if human at all.

"You just can't get the staff. Now, you, just wait. I'm busy." Said The Doctor as he pointed at the confused and affronted alien, who just stood there with its mouth open in shock. It could hardly believe that it was being told to wait, but then this opponent of his turned around to face the darker skinned human to exchange pleasantries of all things! Wasn't this wild haired human-like thing worried at all that it was surrounded by thousands of Sycorax? The alien just stood there and watched the exchange finding himself somewhat fascinated of what this strange being would do next.

"Mickey, hello! And Harriet Jones MP for Flydale North. Blimey, it's like This Is Your Life." Smiled the Doctor at the wary looking people he had just addressed, all the while Rose watched on. Mickey even looked surprised that he was being greeted so warmly by the Time Lord who normally rolled his eyes at him whenever he was nearby. The Doctor then approached Rose and said to the stunned woman.

"Tea! That's all I needed, a good cup of tea! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses. Now, first thing's first. Be honest, how do I look?" Asked the Doctor of his wife, it was very important to him that Rose approved of his new form, whatever it looked like. Where was a mirror when he needed it? Why was it so hard to find a mirror around here? Humans were some of the vainest creatures he had met surely one of them had to have a mirror on them. Rose stared at the man before her not sure how to behave or address him. What a question to be asked by someone who seemed a stranger to her but yet not somehow. She still found herself again trying to dig into those brown eyes to find the blue ones. This was a whole new game and she wasn't even 100% sure who or what she was looking at. He had yet to do anything since he woke up that distinctly and undeniably identified him as the Doctor, her husband, to her. For the sake of moving things along and getting to the bottom of thing she spoke.

"Er, different." She finally copped out. Different could be good but it could also not be a good thing. Needing clarity the Doctor never taking his eyes off hers almost conspiratorially asked her,

"Good different or bad different?" He was testing waters now and Rose once more had nothing else to add but say,

"Just different." What she was seeing was neither good nor bad. She wasn't really in the mind to have an opinion on how people looked at this moment. Now came the important part, the part that his counterparts had refused to answer for him.

"Am I ginger?" Rose let her eyes leave his wild ones to look up at his wild hair to double check and much to the Doctor's disappointment, reported,

"No, you're just sort of brown." The Doctor stalked away a few feet very miffed at this news and then he felt that anger direct itself to other things. His thoughts were clearing and he was remembering all as his mind made the last mends pulling together his fractured memories. And then he remembered that Rose had lost hope in him and that thought made him peeved to say the least. Here he was going through a painful process of resurrecting and rebuilding his body from death and Rose had given up on him?! She never even gave him a chance and he bloody died for her! Though he didn't seem to fully realize, or rather remember, that Rose was not fully aware of that fact, or the properties of regeneration, but irrational ramblings rarely are thought out.

"I wanted to be ginger. I've never been ginger. And you, Rose Tyler, fat lot of good you were. You gave up on me!" He shouted and pointed to Rose accusatorially and she looked taken aback by his words. He saw the hurt look on her face and then realized what he had done and said almost sheepishly and just as surprised,

"Oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude. Rude and not ginger." The Doctor was looking very crestfallen as Harriet now finally got her chance to speak while this man was not talking.

"I'm sorry. Who is this?" Asked Harriet, now very confused as to who this strange man that seemed to know Rose was.

"I'm the Doctor." Declared the man and Rose also parroted to Harriet in a voice that very much wanted to believe what she was saying,

"He's the Doctor." This made no sense to Harriet and in a voice that was full of disbelief and then curiosity declared,

"But what happened to my Doctor? Or is it a title that's just passed on?"

"I'm him. I'm literally him. Same man, new face. Well, new everything." Said the Doctor hinting suggestively at Rose who, in spite of herself, turned her head with a blush.

"But you can't be." Said Harriet who obviously was having a hard time believing the Doctor that he was who he said he was, even with Rose backing him. The Doctor could not have two people doubting him so he tried again with what he had with Rose earlier. He told Harriet information that only his leather wearing counterpart could have known.

"Harriet Jones, we were trapped in Downing Street and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens, it wasn't the war, it was the thought of your mother being on her own." Stated the Doctor without hesitation to Harriet and she knew that it was him. She accepted it right away.

"Oh, my God." She couldn't help but say out loud. Was there nothing that this amazing man could not do? The atmosphere then went a bit chummy feeling, as the two friends began to catch up.

"Did you win the election?" Questioned the Doctor with a smile.

"Landslide majority." Declared Harriet a bit proud of herself.

"Well at least some people are more easily convinced." Mused the Doctor which he said as he accidently looked in Rose's direction and then realizing what he had said when he saw Rose's hurt face again, he stated somewhat apologetically,

"Oooo, probably shouldn't have said that aloud, sorry. Rude again." The Sycorax had had enough of this and was about to shout his irritation at being ignored for small talk, when Rose growled at the Doctor, clearly angry at the Doctor's dismissive comment about what she had been through.

"Rude?! I thought you were dead and gone! I had no warning to whatever it was you did! Did it ever occurred to you to tell me, 'By the way I might do this thing where I explode and burst into flames and have a brand new body and everything?!'" Shouted Rose, a full on marital spat had clearly just begun, right here, right now on an enemy alien ship. And all anyone else could do was watch and take bets as to who was coming out the victor.

"Gone, I'm right in front of you! Nothing has changed in here." Said the Doctor gesturing at his chest as he continued,

" What was I suppose to say, oh by the way in case one day I start lighting up like a sparkler, that's normal. That's a random thing to say before bed, don't ya think?" Questioned the Doctor, not believing that Rose would expect him to make plans to help her prepare for his demise and regeneration.

"You could have said something to prepare me! Put yourself in my shoes. Wouldn't you be confused and scared if you saw me blow up and another woman came along claiming that they were me?! Wouldn't you be a little distrusting? Wouldn't you be sad at the prospect of never seeing me like this again?!" Snapped back Rose, to which the Doctor snarked back,

"It's different for Time Lords. And well, yes, I'd miss this you, but I'd still have you. Minds are more important than bodily appearance to Time Lords. And I never thought you'd live long enough for that to happen. I can go centuries without regenerating once. I was being optimistic that I wouldn't die while I was with you!" Rose was a bit taken aback by his reminder to her of her shorter life span, but not wanting to let her husband off easy for the heartache and confusion she had been put through hissed,

"Well how was I supposed to know that? For all I knew Time Lords just died differently from humans. With humans when you die, you die. No flames. Not 'space dead' like you did! You said you were dying and that's all I understood! When you showed up like this, I didn't know what to think. You could have explained to be any time before that you could be 'space dead'. Do you Time Lords come with an instruction manual?"

"It's not 'space dead,' it is called regeneration! It's a painful process that I went through because I needed to save your life!" Declared the Doctor, indignant that such a difficult and traumatic event in his life should be so misnamed and misunderstood.

"I didn't want you to die for me!" Shouted Rose fighting back tears a bit. The two then glared at each other and both shouted in unison,

"This is stupid! All I wanted was you safe!" The two then looked at each other still angry, but softened by each other's declaration.

"Yeah?" Asked the Doctor and at the same time Rose asked just the same. The two might have had a moment there, but then they were interrupted by the persistent Sycorax leader.

"Excuse me!" The Sycorax gruffed.

"WHAT?!" The two yelled not too politely at the Sycorax leader for the interruption. The two had been waiting a while to finally have this talk and were not appreciating the rude alien trying to butt in on the conversation. The Sycorax leader was momentarily taken aback, but then got back his fire and in a mock form of politeness declared,

"If I might interrupt." The two remembered themselves and the unfinished situation that they were in and the Doctor replied, though still annoyed,

"Yes, sorry. Hello, big fellow."

"Who exactly are you?" Asked the goat skulled alien leader as he still had no clue who this person was and why he acted so strangely.

"Well, that's the question." Answered the Doctor, really now pondering aloud the fact that he had no idea what the quirks of this new regeneration of his were yet. He hoped that whatever they were that they were compatible with Rose and the baby. The baby right, he turned to Rose and started to ask, her if everything with the baby was still alright, especially since guiltily he remembered putting Rose and at the same time his child through a TARDIS crash, but no sooner did he turn his head and say 'Rose' the Sycorax leader growled.

"I demand to know who you are!" Snipped the Sycorax leader, in no mood for any unnecessary talk anymore.

"I don't know!" Shouted the Doctor in a voice loudly and imitating the Sycorax leader in a mocking tone. The Doctor then began to muse about his situation aloud as he walked about the Sycorax ship.

"See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested. Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Sexy?" The Time Lord asked. He then winked at Rose, who turned her head slightly in a blush and the Doctor hoped very much that he was still sexy to Rose. Rassilon, did he ever want a mirror! Maybe Time Lords were just a bit vain too.

"Right old misery? Life and soul? Right handed? Left handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob." Said the Doctor as he slowly made his way up a stone staircase only to see a big very menacing, very enticing red button. His eyes lit up and he smiled, he ran up to the button and said,

"And how am I going to react when I see this, a great big threatening button. A great big threatening button which must not be pressed under any circumstances, am I right?" Not waiting for an answer the Doctor continued as his human companions looked nervously on as they came up the stairs along with the very nervous looking Sycorax.

"Let me guess. It's some sort of control matrix, hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it?" Declared the Doctor as he investigated the button. The Doctor then opened the base of the pillar under the button and began to make sense as to what technology it was and its purpose.

"And what've we got here? Blood? Yeah, definitely blood. Human blood." The Doctor then tasted the blood much to Rose's disgust. This man was mouth washing and brushing his teeth twice tonight if she had a say in it.

"A Positive, with just a dash of iron. Ah, but that means blood control. Blood control! Oh, I haven't seen blood control for years." Said the Doctor excited as if he was looking at something quaint and old like a gramophone. The Doctor's mood shifted dramatically and he became very grim, very crazy eyed and very threatening,

"You're controlling all the A Positives. Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. Because I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a great big threatening button which should never, ever, ever be pressed, then I just want to do this." And he pushed that button much to the horror of all the humans in front of him. They were all shouting 'NO!' but it was too late. They all thought the same thing, this man foolishly and recklessly did not know what the stakes were and what pushing that button would do. However, what that button had done was simply turn off the mind control on all the A+ humans on Earth. 1/3rd of the Earth saved, fresh new body and already on a roll!

"You killed them!" Choked out Alex in disbelief, but the Doctor was not worried and announced Sycorax leader,

"What do you think, big fellow? Are they dead?" Knowing that he had been caught in his lie, the leader, begrudgingly admitted,

"We allow them to live." The Doctor however was not fooled at all and in a voice that screamed that he couldn't believe that the Sycorax leader had not given up the jig yet, said,

"Allow? You've no choice. I mean, that's all blood control is. A cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis. You can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis. You can't hypnotize them to death. Survival instinct's too strong." He then walked away, the button of no more interest to him.

"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force." Hissed back the Sycorax leader, he was not yet ready to admit defeat. The Doctor in response just tilted his head a bit considering the pointlessness of invading the Earth. The only thing good you could get out of the Earth was just watching the fascinating things that its inhabitants would do next. If you invaded them then they wouldn't advance any further and where was the fun in that? Trying to reason with the alien The Doctor stated,

"Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that. Of course you could. But why? Look at these people. These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than…" The Doctor paused for a moment and realized he had heard that bit before, but where? Recollecting the words place of origin he declared,

"No, hold on. Sorry, that's The Lion King. Oh, gonna love watching that with junior! Just so long as they don't bop me on the head. Funny bit that part with Rafiki but not a good thing if children think they can parrot it. Oh, Sorry… But the point still stands. Leave them alone!" Implored the Doctor on behalf of the humans. Rose's ear couldn't help but pink a bit at the thought of the Doctor planning on things to do with their child later on. It gave her hope that they could work out a future together still. But the warm feelings didn't last long as there was still an invasion to stop and the Doctor was the one that needed to do it.

"Or what?" Inquired the alien leader not seeing any reason why he should listen to this crazy rambling idiot in front of him.

"Or…" Retorted the Doctor who then stole a sword off an alien hostile next to him and ran back towards the TARDIS before shouting in a proud and confident voice,

"I challenge you." This was declaration was then met with mocking laughter by the inhabitants of the alien craft. The Doctor however, unlike Rose earlier, seemed not to be diminished at all by the laughing and jeering directed at him. In fact, he rather looked like he was enjoying himself and declared,

"Oh, that struck a chord. Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?" The Doctor began to take off the blue dressing gown that he still wore as the alien leader approached him while drawing his sword.

"You stand as this world's champion." The alien scoffed while Rose and the other humans followed cautiously behind.

"Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." Smirked the Doctor who then threw his dressing gown to Rose. Rose was surprised by the gesture but managed to keep a hold on it. Rose could not help but feel worried for the man standing before her still in the borrowed pajamas. He did not look too intimidating standing next to the Sycorax leader. The Doctor did not seem at all threatened by the other alien's sword and gripping up on his own questioned in a mocking voice that infuriated the Sycorax Leader,

"So, you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?" The insult that Rose could not understand had clearly been enough to enrage the scary skull wearing alien before her, and dirty enough that the TARDIS did not translate for her. 'If you are trying to spare my virgin ears, you're a bit too late.' Thought Rose to the TARDIS. Rose thought for a moment that she felt the TARDIS' presence giving her a mock excuse but she did not have time to idly muse as the fight was starting to get started. The two combatants raised their swords in challenge which was met with the loud roar of the crowd of aliens surrounding Rose and her human friends. The Doctor and the Sycorax leader then got down on one knee and rested the tips of their swords on the ground as they leaned on them.

"For the planet?" Questioned the Sycorax leader with a hiss.

"For the planet." The Doctor parroted. The stakes set, the two raised their swords began to square off before exchanging mighty blows. Rose looked on with very nervous and concerned eyes for her planet's champion.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Oh when will aliens learn not to underestimate the Doctor. I hope you liked the bit with Rose and the Doctor having a lover's spat while the Sycorax leader was trying to get a word in. Clearly the Doctor doesn't see these aliens being much of a threat to him so he would most likely prioritize and talk to Rose instead, heh. Tell me what you think, comments I will admit do encourage me to take more time out of my day to type.


	5. Ch 5- The more things change the more

**Complications**

By The Plot Thinens

**Chapter 05 – The more things change the more they stay the same**

* * *

"Look out!" Shouted Rose to warn the Doctor that the Sycorax Leader was taking a swing at him.

"Oh, yeah, that helps. Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks." Said the Doctor back to Rose in a condescending voice. If Rose wasn't so worried for his wellbeing then she would have wanted to smack him for that remark. But the Doctor was clearly having some trouble in this sword match as it was obvious that the leader of these hostile aliens was the more experienced swordsman. The Doctor realized this to and decided that running to a more open location where he would not have to worry about being cornered or hitting an innocent bystander was a better strategy. The Doctor retreated up a tunnel and spotting another big red button, which he could see obviously lead outside this cavernous ship, pushed it and ran out into the open air. Everyone heard him announce the suggestion for bit of fresh air as they followed close behind him. The Sycorax leader was just behind him and raced to catch after the annoying creature that it was going to enjoy killing more than usual.

Harriet Jones was a nervous wreck. She had helplessly witnessed her people being controlled against their will, and two of her staff murdered before her. She so far had been unable to do anything to improve the situation and just about lost hope when she had spotted that familiar golden hair. Rose! Her precious friend who traveled with the one man she knew could save them all. It had been crushing when Rose had revealed that she was alone without the Doctor. All hope was lost to Harriet as she knew what was going to happen to Rose just as soon as she opened her mouth and spoke to the Sycorax leader. Then all things had turned topsy-turvy again this strange man showed up. He seemed to be above the situation and unconcerned about the invasion on Earth. He had an aire of 'I've got this covered.' And it had been confusing and fascinating to watch him. She had witness quite a bit and as she watched this man fighting now for her planet she still was amazed that this was supposedly the same man she had met at 10th Downing so many months ago. She never would have believed it if he had not known such secret information about her and Rose had not backed him up. And that was another thing if the banter between the Doctor and Rose was to be believed then the two's relationship had certainly accelerated since she had seen them last. She had suspected that the Doctor was in love with Rose if not then she was at least extremely endearing to him. If they survived this she would certainly be sending Rose a congratulations card and presents for the planet saving couple's expected child. It was almost enough to bring a smile to her face at the thought of her friends sharing such a wonderful experience together, but then that Sycorax was swinging his sword at the Doctor and all thoughts of baby shower presents went out the airlock as the group went chasing after the Doctor.

* * *

The Door opened to reveal refreshing daylight. If the circumstances were different than maybe it would have been lovely to stop and admire the rare view of London easily thousands of feet in the air. Rose spotted the Doctor and he was engaged in mortal combat with the Sycorax leader and he clearly did not have the upper hand. The Doctor was being driven back to the edge, and Rose's heart started beating faster with worry for the Time Lord. Her fear escalated yet more when the Sycorax managed to land a hit on the Doctor's nose. The Doctor noticed that his human companions were looking like they wanted to come to his aid but their good intentions would not help him or help save the Earth.

"Stay back! Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet." Warned the Doctor to the humans who were not as informed to the customs of the Sycorax as he was. The Doctor exchanged yet more sword blows with the alien but the Doctor's luck ran out and much to Rose's horror, the leader Sycorax knocked the Doctor down then took a mighty slash at him. The sword full weight severed the Doctor's right hand from his arm and it fell to the Earth below. The Doctor no longer had two hands to hold the sword with and all seemed lost. Harriet looked as if she might pull her hair out from despair and the rest of the humans with her felt very much the same.

The Doctor stared at where his hand used to be, there was no blood. He realized what that might mean as he said his next words.

"You cut my hand off. Glad it's not the left one, otherwise you would have made me lose my ring and I would have been very cross." Said the Doctor first in disbelief, but then switched over to a joking mood. He was now sure what a lack of blood staining his shirt meant and what luck! The Sycorax leader just thought that the man was going crazy from the loss of his hand and greeted the cheers of his people. It was then however, that the Doctor got up, now very aware as to whom he was now.

"And now I know what sort of man I am. I'm lucky. Because quite by chance I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle, which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy to do this…" Explained the Doctor as his missing hand grew back as if by magic, but merely just a case of superior biology and cell growth.

"Witchcraft." Hissed the Sycorax, who, to his knowledge, knew that no creature could normally grow a hand back.

"Time Lord." Said the Doctor wanting to make it very clear to the Sycorax, just who he was dealing with. Rose then took this opportunity to throw the Doctor another sword that she just so happened to at that very minute pulled off another Sycorax, much to its surprise. She knew that only the Doctor could do something that impossible and wanted to 'lend him another hand.'

"Doctor!" She shouted without hesitation as she threw the sword to the man she know had come to realize was, although now different, indeed her husband. The Doctor caught the sword and his hearts skipped with joy at Rose's declaration. She had shouted to him just as she would have to his old self! Still he had play it cool and look tough until the fight was over, so he jokingly replied,

"Oh, so I'm still the Doctor, then?" Rose just smiled back at him and said,

"No arguments from me!"

"Want to know the best bit? This new hand? It's a fighting hand!" In an accent that was not his own at all. After that the match seemed to have turned in the Doctor's favor. Being a superior Time Lord it did not take him long to memorize patterns and combat skills. And this alien he was facing had very predictable moves. The Sycorax was also tiring now from swinging his sword about with wide blows. The Doctor on the other hand was feeling revitalized from the use of the extra cellular energy. In a few short moves The Doctor was able to disarm the Sycorax and thumped both hilts of the swords into his opponent's abdomen. Twice. Once for threatening Rose and the other for what they had been planning to do to the Earth. The Sycorax leader fell to the ground very close to the edge of the ship and the Doctor's sword was on the alien as he hit the ground.

"I win." Hissed the Doctor to the Sycorax on the ground at his sword's point.

"Then kill me." The Alien leader said. The Doctor had no desire to kill the alien at his mercy, quite frankly he'd rather wrap up this whole incident without having to have any blood on his hands. So he thought of this species traditions and laws to device an alternative to bloodshed.

"I'll spare your life if you'll take this Champion's command. Leave this planet, and never return. What do you say?" Announced the Doctor to the being at his feet. The Sycorax agreed to the terms but the Doctor was not yet completely convinced of his sincerity. The Time Lord thought of the most sacred pledge that this alien could make and gritting his teeth as he applied more pressure to the alien's neck with his sword tip demanded,

"Swear on the blood of your species."

"I swear." Groaned the Sycorax leader as equally grim.

"There we are, then. Thanks for that. Cheers, big fellow." Said the Doctor satisfied and his mood switching back to its eccentric manner from earlier. The Doctor then stabbed his sword into the ground and walked away from his defeated opponent. Now that that was settled the Doctor could focus on more important things or rather people. Of which the most important one was currently running toward him carrying his dressing gown and child if he might add.

"Bravo!" Cheered Harriet, relieved that once more her Doctor had saved the day for the people of not just England but the Earth.

"That says it all. Bravo!" Rejoiced Rose as she ran to greet her triumphal husband with a quick peck on the cheek before making her way behind him to help him put on his dressing gown. The Doctor had been expecting a kiss on the lips from Rose and had even puckered up his lips before, but then felt her lips on his cheek. He was disappointed but assumed that he was still a bit new to her and there were too many people around. He had in the past expressed a disliking to kissing her around others especially others they knew. Perhaps she was just holding true to that rule he had set. He was really starting to wish that his old self had not been such a grumpy stuck up prude. 'Well there I go again beating myself up.' Thought the Doctor, but then he saw how proud Rose was of him in her eyes and his mood brightened.

"Ah, not bad for a man in his jim-jams." Smirked the Doctor as Rose finished helping him back into his dressing gown. Once the gown was on Rose couldn't help but lean against The Doctor a bit. The Doctor recognized the gesture and rested his head on the top of Rose's. The Doctor stuck out his hand to Rose but noticed that her arms were hugging herself and didn't seem to have any sign of moving. He couldn't help but feel that she was telling her she should be fine being close to this man, but the other part still was hung up that his physical form was still so different.

'Give her time, old boy. She's admitted that you are the same man now. She will transfer all her feelings for my old self to me soon enough.' Mused the Doctor to himself. Rose and he had just gone through a very traumatic experience and this was the tail end of it. The Doctor stretched his now healed mind to the little one that Rose's arms were so safely protecting. They were doing better too. The child obviously could not talk yet in the womb but he could get feelings off it. Its mental state was not unlike a human baby when they had settled down after a long fitful cry. He sent all of the comforting feelings that he had wanted to give from the start of his regeneration to his child and he couldn't help but feel that Rose somehow could sense the calming too. Rose seemed more relaxed but wanting to make Rose more comfortable the Doctor shot off his gob again.

"Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man. Hold on, what have I got in here?" Asked the Doctor as he, not having anything to do with his hands, placed them in his dressing gown pocket. He felt something soft and round in his pocket and pull it out to inspect.

"A satsuma. Ah, that friend of your mothers. He does like his snacks doesn't he? But doesn't that just sum up Christmas? You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma?" Rambled the Doctor to Rose, who was very much absorbed in the conversation as the Doctor seemed to be.

Unbeknownst to the reunited couple the Sycorax leader had got up, grabbed his sword and was now running at the Doctor's back. The Doctor not even turning around to face or acknowledge the threat to himself and his family, threw the satsuma at a control on the spaceship hull. A piece of the wing on the alien ship then opened up and the leader fell to his death.

"No second chances. I'm that sort of a man."Stated the Doctor grimly as he entered back into the space ship to address the denizens inside. Making his way down the stone like stairs with Rose close to his side the Doctor went back to the pit where the TARDIS stood to address the remaining aliens.

"By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when go you back to the stars and tell others of this planet, when you tell them of its riches, its people, it's potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this. It is defended." Hissed the Doctor in warning to the defeated alien race. No sooner had he said this was the TARDIS, Harriet, Alex, Rose, Mickey and the Doctor all beamed away back down to Earth to a London road. Rose looked about confused, but then got her bearings that they were at least back on Earth. As to where was indeed the question.

* * *

"Where are we?" Rose asked as she looked about at the buildings surrounding her as she stood with her party in the middle of the street. Mickey's eyes lit up with recognition and he cheered,

"We're just off Bloxom Road. We're just round the corner, we did it!" The humans were rejoicing but the Doctor's eyes were trained skyward at the Sycorax ship. If it did not leave soon then the Doctor had yet another problem on his hand that he needed to take care of. And he hoped that the Sycorax were not stupid enough to mess with him twice.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Declared the Doctor as the spaceship began to fly away from Earth and he let out a small sigh of relief.

"Go on, my son! Oh, yeah!" Cheered Mickey as he gestured for the spaceship to leave, Rose got caught up in the moment too and was about to jump on her friend in celebration, but a quick reminder to herself of her condition made her think otherwise. She settle instead for wrapping one of her arms around her friend's shoulder and leaning on him as she shouted to the aliens, as if they could hear her,

"Yeah! Don't come back!" Mickey then shouted off,

"It is defended!" Mickey hugged Rose and in the spirit of things Rose hugged the man Alex. Though they had only just met Alex did not seem to mind getting a hug from a pretty girl when he thought that he was going to be dead not a half hour ago. Rose let out a sigh of relief and placing a hand on her stomach she said in a low voice to her child,

"Daddy is always going to keep us safe." The Doctor smiled at Rose, hoping that meant that she had forgiven him for the TARDIS crash earlier. He would give his life before he would see harm come to his family. The Time Lord then turned his attention to Harriet Jones.

"My Doctor." Smiled Harriet in satisfaction at the man before her who was every inch the same person that she had met in Downing Street.

"Prime Minister." Smirked the Doctor, proud of his friend as he gave her a hug.

"Absolutely the same man." Beamed Harriet as she brought her eyes skyward. Then in a serious voice she asked the Doctor,

"Are there many more out there?" The Doctor did not seem to be as worried as Harriet and explained as if it were just a fact of life,

"Oh, not just Sycorax. Hundreds of species. Thousands of them. And the human race is drawing attention to itself. Every day you're sending out probes and messages and signals. This planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed more and more. You'd better get used to it." Harriet did not like this revelation at all their conversation might have gone further when it was interrupted by the loud familiar voice of the Doctor's, like it or not, mother-in-law. The Doctor turned his head to see Jackie running toward them and shouting for her daughter, while Rose did the same for her mother having spotted her.

"Oh, talking of trouble." Said the Doctor condescendingly. He had been fancying the idea of just hopping into the TARDIS with Rose to honeymoon in Barcelona, but that most likely was not happening now. It was Christmas day and Rose would want to do human things and spend the rest of the day with her mother.

'The things a husband endures…' thought the Doctor as he rolled his eyes much as his old regeneration would have. But upon further observation he was how happy the two were to see each other again and that joy was infectious.

"Oh, my God! You did it, Rose! Oh!" Cheered Jackie in disbelief that her daughter and most likely her daughter's alien had once more saved the Earth from disaster. The Doctor began to stroll up to what was now his family and only briefly noted that the human Alex was answering a phone call.

"You did it too! It was the tea. Fixed his head." Declared Rose as she acknowledged that her mother had the right idea about having a cup of tea to fix things. Though it had been more successful then could have been hoped for or expected.

"That was all I needed, cup of tea." Grinned the Doctor to which Jackie proudly announced that she had said as much.

"Look at him. He's up and about like nothing happened!" smiled Rose as she pointed to her husband. Jackie now getting a good look at the man in awake, healthy, and hopefully less crazy, gave the man an appraising look and skeptically asked,

"Is it him, though? Is it really the Doctor?" He looked so different from the middle aged bane of her existence son-in-law that she was at this point now more or less used to. Jackie's train of thought however was derailed when she noticed the woman standing behind the Doctor. She had to do a double take and then in a very undignified manner declared in shock,

"Oh, my God, it's the bleeding Prime Minister!" That was his mother-in-law the Doctor thought and as rough around the edges as she was the Doctor did respect the fierce and tough as nails alien that was his wife's mother.

"Come here, you." He smiled and voluntarily hugged Jackie, which then turned into a group hug as Mickey and Rose joined in. The Doctor had to admit that even though he had tried to resist it after having lost so much and been hurt so deeply that a family had found him and he was now part of one again. And really that wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be.

"Are you better? I mean look at you. You're all skin and bones now. Bit taller now but I think you could stand a good Christmas dinner. Least now you look more like you could be my son-in-law." Nattered Jackie to which the Doctor patiently and with a smile on his face said that he was better and food, even though it was Jackie cooking it, sounded good. Little did the happy group know that something which the Doctor would find quite horrifying was about to take place at the hands of a woman that he thought was his friend.

"You left me." Scolded Jackie to her daughter, to which Rose apologized for but added that it wasn't as if she had any control over it.

"I had all the food. Now let's get you home. After all that excitement, Rose, you need a good meal for you and my grandbaby." Declared Jackie as Rose rolled her eyes a little bit. She swore that that was all that her mother thought of. Rose had no intention to starve her baby and it was Christmas morning, of course she planned on stuffing herself. The happy atmosphere was then interrupted by the sound of a large static charge and five beams of green light streaking across the sky and into space. These green beams hit the Sycorax asteroid ship and it exploded. The Doctor and his group were stunned as a they saw the huge explosion turn the sky orange.

"What is that? What's happening?" She asked the Doctor very confused and scared. The Doctor realized what had happened and looking at the woman that he thought was his friend hissed,

"That was murder." Harriet stood her ground proudly and stated her justification for destroying the Sycorax ship.

"That was defense. It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago."

"But they were leaving." Countered the Doctor, he could not believe his 'friend' would do this. It was an unnecessary loss of life. Not swayed Harriet continued,

"You said yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today. Mister Llewellyn and the Major, they were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping. In which case we have to defend ourselves." The Doctor was disgusted and couldn't believe that this was the ground on which the supposed,

"Britain's Golden Age." He said, was built on.

"It comes with a price." Noted Harriet unmoved by the magnitude of the lives she had taken. She did not see it as any different from the aliens they had to destroy back in Downing Street. They were a threat then too and they had used deadly force in that case too. The Doctor however was a different man now and he was very tired of blood and bloody hands.

"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming. The human race." Hissed the Doctor with disgust. Rose's blood went cold at that statement. Was that what in his secret hearts he thought of her too? Rose knew generalizations were dangerous things. You couldn't paint an entire people with the same brush and then say, 'oh but there are one or two good ones.' It not only was wrong, it made you a hypocrite. The blood was not on her hands or billions of other people on this planet for the Sycorax, it was Harriet Jones and her administration that had the blood on their hands. And for that he was saying such a hurtful thing, by that logic what was the point of any good she did if he was going to let the action of others blot any good she had done out. She hoped that he was just upset and did not mean it, but it was language worse than just calling her and her species stupid apes. He had called them monsters and by that statement he was the father of a half monster too. She would have to talk to him about that later.

"Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf." Stated Harriet simply and insulted by how the Doctor had referred to her people.

"Then I should have stopped you." Growled the Doctor.

"What does that make you, Doctor? Another alien threat?" Challenged Harriet. And that was the last straw. The Doctor looked at Harriet. She was an older looking woman, but he was far older and far smarter than her. It was like putting the mind of a child against an adult, there was no competition. And it was quite sad that Harriet did not see who she was messing. Even the most brilliant scientific minds in all of human history, as far as intelligence went, were to him like grade schoolers in a primary school science fair. Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta, the Doctor would have given his battery a b-. And this human elected official dared to test his sincerity?

"Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones, because I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your Government with a single word." He stated in a threatening tone. Harriet heard his threat and it was chilling but she knew that it was impossible to do so. He was after all only one man and it took many more than one person to bring down a government.

"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that." Said Harriet thinking that she had the upper hand here. The Doctor had to admit his error and give credit where it was due.

"No, you're right. Not a single word, just six." He said, he would only need six words to implant the subliminal message into the mind of her people that would spread like a virus until Harriet Jones was rendered powerless. Harriet said that she still did not thing that was possible, but the Doctor insisted that he needed only six words.

"Stop it!" Shouted Harriet now a bit unnerved at being on the receiving end of the Doctor's anger.

"Six." Said the Doctor as he walked to Alex. She had dared to challenge him and he was going to show her that power like all things is a thing easily taken away. He then whispered in Alex's ear,

"Don't you think she looks tired?" The Doctor then walked off with his family leaving Harriet to frantically demand what the Doctor had said to Alex. He however was not able to remember and Harriet already knowing that she had lost felt all the remorse in the world.

"Doctor! Doctor, what did you? What was that? What did he say? What did you say, Doctor? Doctor!... I'm sorry." The last part said in sad defeat. This was not how she had planned things would go. She had planned a reunion and celebration with her friend and now she had been affectively been cut loss from the Doctor's circle of friends. She realized that of all the things that she would soon lose, the thing that she would regret the most was losing the Doctor's friendship.

* * *

"Did you mean it, Doctor? Or were you just upset?" Asked Rose as they hung back from Jackie and Mickey as they made their way to the Powell Estate. The Doctor had to collect his effects from the Tyler flat before heading back to the TARDIS to put himself in order.

"Hmm?" Asked the Doctor still brooding from the mass murder he had just witnessed.

"You call me a monster. You called your child a half monster. Is that what you think of us? I don't agree with what Harriet did and neither does my Mum or Mickey. And if had been up to me I would have let them go."

"Rose, I didn't mean…"

"Doctor, like it or not I am part of the human race and so is your child. And it hurts me when you bash my species and I certainly don't want our child growing up hearing that language out of you. If I met a bad member of your species than I wouldn't think that all Time Lords were bad." The Doctor flinched slightly at the mention of his people and in a voice that sounded guilty he replied,

"I AM a bad Time Lord."

"Now, don't say that. You are the best Time Lord I've ever met."

"Kinda hard to find competition for that title, when I'm the only one left." The Doctor said bitterly,

"Well you aren't the only one left, if you remember there are two of you. And that second Time Lord is human too. And we are not raising them to be self loathing either. Everyone has flaws, every species are going to have members who do bad things, say horrible things, or hurt others. If we were to judge everyone as a whole based on the worst of our species than we might as well throw in the towel now." Said Rose without backing down. The Doctor saw the hurt and anger in Rose's eyes at his generalizations and her words were true. Letting out a breath of air, he stopped and put his hands on Rose's shoulders and said in a quiet voice,

"I'm sorry, Rose. I don't think that humans are monsters. I love humans. They're my favorite alien species. Why else do you think I spend so much time around them? It's not just because you look Time Lord. I admire your culture, sciences, arts and people. That's why I've spent my life studying them. You have so many good qualities and for every bad person known in history there are 30 million others who are good people that you never hear about."

"Okay, Doctor. Apology accepted. Just try to remember, words hurt, yeah?" Said Rose back to the Doctor as she leaned her forehead on his chest and the Doctor gave her a hug before they made their way up the stairs to Jackie's flat.

* * *

The Doctor now wanting to be active after being asleep for so long actually found himself helping to turn over the dining room table with Mickey before he was to set off back for the TARDIS. He needed some new clothes to wear since he couldn't be traveling through time and space in a borrowed pair of pajamas. He was about to make his way out the door when he spotted Rose on her bed holding the leather jacket he used to wear. Good thing for the reminder, he had his sonic on him but he needed to dig out the other contents of his pockets and file that Jacket away along with his other old outfits. That was when he noticed that Rose eyes were misty.

"Rose?" He questioned as she looked up startled and put the Jacket down. He could see that the front of the jacket was a little wet from tears.

"What's wrong?" He asked again. Rose tried to convince him that nothing was the matter, but the Doctor knew better.

"Rose, you can tell me anything. You know that, yeah?" He said, the last bit trying to imitate her speech patterns to get a smile out of her. It worked a little. Rose swallowed a lump in her throat and explained.

"It's just, I'm worried that…well…I didn't want to hurt your feelings." The Doctor was very interested in what Rose was worried about at this point and Rose said,

"It's just I know it's you, but I still miss the old you, and I think that I always will. You're so different now and you even smell a bit different…and I want to make new memories with you, but I don't want to forget…I'm afraid I'll forget how you used to be. Smelling your jacket it was taking me back in time. Part of me wants you to put this back on and wear it but another part of me feels like it doesn't suit you anymore and that scared me. I don't want to lose anymore of you…and… Oh I don't know what I'm thinking. It's stupid, I'm sorry." The Doctor got down on the bed with Rose and wiped away the tears from her eyes,

"No, no, no, Rose. Don't be sorry and it's not stupid. They are your feelings and you have a right to them. They are genuine concerns. I realized that, as an understatement, I have not been the easiest man to be married to. You hold on to your memories we had together, they are precious to both of us and I will never be pained if you want to remember how I used to be because I'll be doing it too. And I think you are right that as much as I like this old beat up Jacket, it really doesn't suit this skinny me anymore. Now I'm going to take this Jacket…." The Doctor paused as he noticed that Rose was holding onto the Jacket tighter and leaning back with it. Patiently he continued in a calm voice,

"I'm going to take it with me back to the TARDIS and I'm going to hang it in our bedroom closet, not the wardrobe. It will be there whenever you want it and I'll even put it on if you want to roleplay." The Doctor then made a clicking noise and winked at Rose, who turned her head in blush. Until his face got a bit more familiar, Rose fancied that she would be blushing more than she had around her old Doctor for a while.

"That was a smile." He smirked and Rose did not argue,

"I'm going to find something else to wear from now on and you are going to love it, I promise." Assured the Doctor as he stroked Rose's arm.

"Promise?" She asked and the Doctor nodded his head and hummed. The Doctor then left with the leather Jacket and the rest of his old clothes, while Rose helped put on dinner with her Mother and Mickey. Mickey was actually surprisingly helpful as he had the ulterior motive of wanting to make sure that the turkey that he had managed to find and bring back to the apartment was edible.

"Well if himself is going to take forever, I say we get started. He can have whatever's left." Stated Jackie ad she began to dish out food to Mickey and Rose. Rose was miffed but wasn't going to argue because she didn't want to be any more trouble today and she was in actuality, hungry. She probably would have thrown up due to her hormones and things unrelated to hormones a few times today if she actually had anything in her stomach besides biscuits. Rose couldn't help but notice the larger sized portion on her plate and Mickey couldn't help but notice either. Mickey however was the one holding the carving knife and he was going to cut up a sizeable piece for himself of the Turkey he was pretty sure was going to be quite tasty.

* * *

The Doctor picked through his wardrobe in the TARDIS deciding which would be his new outfit to wear. For a moment he considered a fancy looking period costume but decided it looked too much like something his old friend Casanova would wear. He had the pressure on him that he had told Rose specifically that she would love his new outfit so he needed to find something that was the perfect balance of style and flare. He wanted to knock Rose off her feet. And that was when he spotted it. The perfect outfit a brown pinstripe suit and a long brown coat. A little searching more and he managed to find a smart looking shirt and tie to go with his suit that completed the look. The Doctor finally appraised his looks in his floor length mirror and his younger else had been right, he was a pretty boy, but this didn't have to be a bad thing if Rose liked it. In fact he thought that he looked much better than Casanova. He could work with this face and he was certain that he could make Rose fall for him again. It had already happened twice with very little effort so if he actually was trying at it, surely Rose would fall for him a little faster. He tried his facial muscles one more time and checked his teeth before saying,

"Molto Bene, time to get back to my bride." The Doctor entered the console room and preceded to park the TARDIS just outside the area in front of Jackie's apartment building's door entrance that led up to Jackie's flat. The Doctor took a deep breath. This was the moment of truth. The Doctor then made his way back to the Tyler flat, his long coat flapping in the London wind like a cape.

* * *

The Doctor entered the flat to see that dinner was already in progress. That was good thing. Rose needed to eat and he doubted Mickey would want to wait for him. The Doctor felt his respiratory bypass kick in when Rose finally turned her head and looked at him. What was she going to think? To the Doctor's great relief, Rose greeted him with the warmest and most brilliant smile. All worries that she did not like the new outfit evaporated from his head and the Time Lord sat down to have an actual Christmas dinner with his family, complete with Christmas crackers. The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the sight of his Rose, his queen, in the pink paper crown. He thought it quite fitting and regal even though it was just made of paper. Everyone exchanged happy banter in the small party. The only one not having a good Christmas was Harriet Jones who Rose had pointed out on the TV. She was clearly on her way to being ousted from office and the Doctor put on a new pair of spectacles from his pocket to watch the details. With grim satisfaction the Doctor watched Harriet sweat in front of the overwhelming media, but his viewing was interrupted by Jackie's loud voice declaring as she held the house phone,

"It's Beth. She says go and look outside." Rose looked confused and a bit worried and asked why? She did not want any more surprises today. Jackie didn't know either, but Beth was not the sort to disappoint, so she made to gather her and Rose's jackets.

"I don't know, just go outside and look. Come on, shift!" Ordered Jackie as she helped Rose put on her coat so she would not catch cold.

* * *

Outside on the Powell estate the ground was covered with white flakes falling from the sky as bright streaks of light cris-crossed the sky above. Rose looked up and marveled at the amazing sight above her.

"Oh, it's beautiful. What are they, meteors?" Rose asked the Doctor who not as touched by the scene as Rose, replied,

"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere. This isn't snow, it's ash." Upon this realization Rose saw the scenery in a different light and nervously corrected herself,

"Okay, not so beautiful." The Doctor looked to change the subject.

"This is a brand new planet Earth. No denying the existence of aliens now. Everyone saw it. Everything's new. Too bad they only see the bad ones though, sort of gives us middling and benign ones a bad name. Some of us are just passing through after all." Mused the Doctor as he walked about with his hands in his pockets. Based on several conversations that the two of them had had throughout the day it very much seemed that the Doctor not only wanted her to continue traveling with her, but was also legitimately serious about living together as a married couple with a baby on the way. But she needed all doubt erased, she needed to make sure that that was what he wanted and not something just said because they were in danger or she was crying. Or because he felt he was pressured to do so for moral reasons. Therefore, very cautiously Rose asked the Doctor,

"And what about you? What are you going to do next?" Now that the two of them were possibly taking the first steps together into a new life with each other among the stars, all the old insecurities, as a result of the circumstances that had brought them to this point in the first place, reared their ugly heads to once more test their bond and relationship.

"Well, back to the TARDIS. Same old life." Smiled the Doctor though a bit nervously for there was still a small twinge of doubt Rose might have changed her mind about continuing to follow an unfamiliar, daft alien man wearing her husband's wedding ring, through the stars again. Just because Rose was having his baby didn't mean that she felt that she had to remain tethered to him if she felt that it was too dangerous or that he was more trouble than he was worth. The Doctor's hearts were racing a mile a minute as he couldn't help but once more think of every companion who had ever left him after regenerating.

"On your own?" Rose questioned, very much wanting to hear the answer, but also afraid that somehow it would not be the answer that she wanted. Rose was worried that maybe the Doctor did not want her to come anymore because of her condition or perhaps now that he changed he was realizing that she might not suit his taste anymore just like his old clothing didn't suit him anymore.

"Why, don't you want to come?" The Doctor asked in a slight panic that Rose was now trying to let him down gently. The Doctor was worried that Rose might not want to, at this point or not ever again, travel with him because he changed so much. Or maybe she felt that time and space travel was too dangerous now and that if he wanted to do so, she would have to send him off on his own. He was too lonely to go on traveling without Rose if she didn't want to. He needed her and he hoped with all his hearts that she wanted to come with him in their home, the TARDIS.

"Well, yeah." Said Rose a bit startled by his question. The Doctor mistook her sputtering for hesitation and pressed,

"Do you, though?" Rose assured him that she wanted to still travel with him and the Doctor relieved, confessed to Rose,

"I just thought, because I changed….I'd be too different now for you to…" He traveled off and Rose admitted with some shame,

"Yeah, I thought, I thought because things changed you wouldn't want me to come or that because you changed you might not want me anymore..."

"You're my wife, Rose. I'd love you to come. The both of you. Nothing would make me happier." Stated the Doctor looking like a lost puppy as he pointed to her and then gestured to the baby in Rose's womb.

"Okay." Smiled Rose, relief and joy evident In her voice, She was excited to not only have the opportunity to still travel with the Doctor again, but that he was still requesting that she, his wife, come with him. The Doctor was slouched a bit in a bashful stance that reminded her very much of how her Northern sounding Doctor had looked when he had first asked her to travel with him. It was like a fresh start and Rose smiled and was about to express even more relief that they had worked out this part of their relationship when Mickey, very sad that Rose was not planning to stay, stated in a melancholy voice,

"You're never going to stay, are you?" Asked Mickey very sad at the realization that Rose would never stay where it was safest in his eyes.

"There's just so much out there. So much to see. I've got to." Explained Rose to her skeptical friend.

"Yeah." Said Mickey not amused by Rose's decision to keep risking her life with her mad husband and while she was pregnant.

"Well, I reckon you're mad, the pair of you. It's like you go looking for trouble." Jackie scolded her daughter and son-in-law.

"Trouble's just the bits in-between. It's all waiting out there, Jackie, and it's brand new to me. All those planets, and creatures and horizons. I haven't seen them yet! Not with these eyes." The Doctor grinned as he looked into Rose's eyes and used the phrase that his old self always used and he knew that Rose loved.

"And it is going to be fantastic." Said the Doctor causing Rose to smile so brightly at the recognition in him. 'Fantastic!' At the sound of that word Rose felt her heart warm. She looked at the Doctor's new brown eyes and she knew that inside this new body of the Doctor's were her old Doctor and John. Rose was happy and sad though at the realization. Happy that the Doctor was alive. She had her Doctor back but at the same time, she would never see that other man again, never fall asleep to that face being the last thing she saw, or feel the same familiar weight on the bed again. Or hear that Northern accent that charmed her so. Rose could not lie to the Doctor about her feelings for the old him.

"I miss him." Rose stated truthfully. The Doctor took a deep breath and stated,

"So do I." And he would. He would miss the Northern accent, how his cropped hair felt when Rose ran her hand through it, how just one scowl of his could chase away any would be suitors of Rose. How his looks commanded respect, or at least he felt they did. He wasn't yet sure if this new face would have the same affect on people or scare them as much when he wanted. Bucking up from her somewhat sad mood Rose came to the conclusion,

"Well I guess I'm just going to have to learn to love you all over again for yet another time." The Doctor was delighted at this answer and had a beaming smile on his face. He held out his hand to Rose, sure that she would take it this time. He even wiggled his fingers for emphasis.

"That hand of yours still gives me the creeps." Noted Rose with a nervous giggle, but she took hold of it anyway. The Doctor smiled at the contact. That's where her hand belonged, in his hand.

Looking at the Doctor's new hand reminded Rose of what had newly reappeared on the Doctor's other hand.

"You're old self…You never wore that ring. Why'd you decide to put back on the ring?" Asked Rose not quite having the nerve to look the Doctor directly in the eye as she asked. The Doctor saw the vulnerability in Rose that he had through his efforts in the past put in Rose's head. He had to change that now, what he had done to Rose, having ever made her question the foundation of their relationship was wrong and he aimed to correct that the best he could. With his ringed hand he guided Rose's head to turn so that she was looking at him directly in the eye. He smiled at her with a look that begged forgiveness and explained,

"Because I was going to die. And to make matters worse I thought that I would never see you again. I wasn't brave enough to put it back on and commit to you with you standing there. I'm sorry. I was a coward, always a coward, but I at least wanted to show the rest of the universe that I was your husband and willing to hold up my end. Till death do us part, I'm not taking off this ring. I hope a situation never comes up like that again. And we barely had a reunion after we were together again and you know how my lack of information made that go pear shaped." Rose keeping eye contact with the Doctor and emboldened by his confession told the Doctor,

"I just wish I could have given your old self a proper send off, if you had to go at all." The Doctor was touched by Rose and was about to make a romantic retort when Mickey piped up.

"And you're sure, Rose? You're sure it's him? This is what you want?" Asked Mickey, this being his last chance to try to protect her from this life. He needed to know that Rose was, without a shadow of a doubt, doing what she wanted and traveling with the same man as before. The Doctor looked a bit annoyed with Mickey poking at questions already answered and interrupting their mood, but thought of a way to poke right back.

"Right… And just so you can be sure that it's me..." Said the Doctor with an eyebrow waggle.

"But I'm sure it's you! I..." Protested Rose before she was interrupted by the Doctor gently placing a finger of his new hand on her lip to silence her for a moment. The Doctor leaned in close to her and whispered into her ear, so close that his breath tickled her ear,

"You have a birth mark that looks like (whisper) on your (whisper)." Rose face blushed beet red and she in a voice somewhat flustered declared to the two people in front of her,

"It's him." Jackie looked a bit scandalized but said nothing. Sort-of-newlyweds would be newlyweds she figured.

"So, where're we going to go first?" Asked Rose excited as she leaned into the Doctor's shoulder.

"Er, that way. No, hold on. That way." Corrected the Doctor as he pointed up to the stars.

"That way?" asked Rose. The Doctor nodded and Rose agreed that 'that way' seemed like a good idea.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** And we are off on to some new… well sort of new… well as new as a retelling can be adventure. Anyway yes season two is under way and it is going to be fantastic! Oooo, I haz got a tumblr account now: the-plot-thinens dot tumblr dot com! I'll be posting there too. Just thought I'd try for a bit more interaction. Also I can post links there to fan art and stuff. I have one whole fan art of my story and a link to that is posted there too! Come and say hello if you want. Ugh I'm a bit tired right now. Hope I caught all my mistakes while proofing...


	6. Chapter 6 - Planning and A New Earth

**Complications**

by The-Plot-Thinens

**Chapter 06 – Planning and a New Earth**

* * *

"First things first, time for Doctor Daddy to run a little prenatal check up…Doctor Daddy does that sound alright to you? Doctor Daddy, yeah I like it. It's fine if you call me that." Smiled the Doctor jovially as he patted Rose's stomach. Rose rolled her eyes as the Doctor brought out some instruments to begin the exam and she reflected on the past week.

* * *

Rose had woken up on the morning of the 26th of December in her mother's flat in her old room alone. She had yawned, swung her legs over her bed, and then felt the urge to vomit. Fortunately, her path to the bathroom was not blocked and she managed to get to the toilet bowl before making a mess of the place. She wondered briefly as she lost what resembled turkey into the toilet if now that she did not have adrenaline pumping through her, did her body think that 'yeah, it's okay, let's be sick again.' Lucky her. That was when she was startled by a hand offering her a glass of water and another hand offering a flannel. It was the Doctor. She stared at the offerings for a moment in disbelief. Usually no one but the TARDIS helped her with this and to have the Doctor actively assisting in something as domestic as morning sickness was touching to say the least. Rose rinsed her mouth out and wiped her face and nose clean. Standing up straight after flushing the toilet she was also surprised to see the Doctor then offer her the same morning sickness medication that the TARDIS usually gave her.

"Found these in the TARDIS and thought I'd give them to you." He smiled a little sheepishly, he was not in the practice of domestics and it was clear that he was unsure of himself, but trying. Rose thanked the Doctor and then swallowed the pills. A new conversation about her appreciation was about to begin but then her mother who had been awoken by the noise of Rose shuffling about came in. Right away Jackie had insisted that Rose sit down, have some tea, and something to settle her stomach. Rose did not feel very hungry at the moment. However, for the sake of the peaceful setting they still had, Rose followed her mother into the living room for a sit while her mother prepared tea. All the while the Doctor continued to fuss over Rose too. Rose of course thought that although nice, she would rather that her family save the pampering for when she was as big as a house, because other than a slightly bigger belly, the odd craving, and throwing up, she didn't really feel that pregnant yet. Rose was struck by the oddity of her situation. If it wasn't odd enough just being back in her mother's home after so many months living as a time and space hobo, having the Doctor looking and acting this way, was still taking some getting used to as well. When one thought about it from at least face value it was like a complete stranger was fussing over her and her baby. But it was really the Doctor, she could picture John doing this easily, but the Doctor, wow was he making a concession for her. Sure he had been sweet to Hideki, but who didn't care for children in need? She guessed that the Doctor being a doting father would be yet another thing to get used to, but that she did not mind. Especially when she had worried in the past about the possibility of raising her child alone.

After an hour of more or less pampering from her mother and husband, the Doctor suggested that Rose come with him to the medical lab on the TARDIS. Rose had no objection to this and after assuring her mother that she was coming back in an hour or two, the couple was on their way to the TARDIS.

* * *

"What's all this, Doctor?" Asked Rose as she observed the various medical equipment she saw.

"Going to run a few scans to check in on the baby." Explained the Doctor and before Rose could reply the scan was done.

"But Doctor, Jack already did a scan. It should be still on file." Stated Rose. The Doctor brought up the old files and began to look them over. At the mention of Jack, Rose was talking about wanting Uncle Jack there for the birth, well not in the room but outside the door until the delivery was done. It was bad enough that she could picture Jack shaking pompoms and encouraging her to 'Push em out! Way out!' However, the Doctor heard none of this as he was looking over the past scan and the new one and comparing it with concern. Rose finally noticed that the Doctor was not running his gob and saw the look in his eyes. Something was wrong and if that had something to do with how the baby was doing then that was a huge problem.

"Wot? Rose, these scans are completely different from the last time." Declared the Doctor as he made the comparison, to which Rose replied,

"What… What do you mean?" The Doctor just continued to analyze the data and Rose very frustrated at the Doctor's lack of concentration shouted a bit panicked,

"Doctor, what is wrong with our baby?!" The Doctor hearing the fear in Rose's voice felt guilt flush over him and explained,

"First off, the baby is genetically stable, don't worry about that. But this previous scan, our child was for lack of a better word stitched together rather crudely. It was a mess of my TNA linked together with your DNA and that barely worked as it was. We still would have loved and cared for them regardless, though." The Doctor wanted to make very clear of that to his wife as genetics was a sensitive subject as it was. He then continued with an impressed voice,

"I've never seen a life form have to work this hard to exist. Human and Time Lord Hybrids should be all but impossible to create through sexual reproduction. It would be like mating a human to a chimp. Or at best a tiger to a lion. Close but no cigar. Time Lords are complicated beings, we are loomed together to perfection."

"No ego there, and I'll over look you referring me to a chimp or bestiality for the moment, but what I want to know is... Wait loomed? You mean you don't well, you know to make babies? You're knitted together? Baby time lords are knitted like scarves?" Piped up Rose at the comical idea. The Doctor looked slightly aghast that his wife would refer to the scientific marvel of looming together members of his species as 'knitting' a Time Lord together. He wasn't made of yarn but continued,

"Our society felt that it had evolved past the need to reproduce the carnal way. Looming was considered the most acceptable and productive way of creating offspring for one's house." Rose was wondering if for that reason, her Time Lord husband didn't seem to have as much of a sex drive as John Smith had. It had possibly literally been bred out of him.

"That makes for a really boring marriage. But what is different about our baby now and if a hybrid is so impossible then how did it happen in the first place? I've only… been with you when you were John, so the baby should be all human, but Jack said it was part time lord." Stated Rose to the Doctor. The Doctor took a deep breath and announced,

"This baby… the baby, when you became the Bad Wolf, they absorbed part of the bad wolf and its essence is at this very moment, making up for the missing third TNA helix. This kid is a resourceful survivor if it was their idea to initiate this and not the Bad Wolf's. It's strange really the Bad Wolf markers are different from you, but they are you still, it's a paradox… but now our baby, they have TNA as orderly as we could hope to expect from a full blooded member of either of our species." The Doctor wondered what sort of affect such a child was going to have on the universe, but he realized that he didn't care what it was. He would protect and defend his family, and his child's right to exist, no matter what came their way or who might object to it. Rose seemed both relieved and horrified that she had done something that had so seriously altered her child. She had done something foolhardy and risked both her life and her child's and this may yet prove a problem for her child in the future. The Doctor could see the concern on Rose's face and what looked like guilt. He had to nip that off at once.

"Rose the baby is in no danger, it's a good thing. And before you start blaming yourself for anything, stop it. You are a great mother and you've done wonders protecting them up to this point and I know that you will continue to do the best job ever for our baby. And as for how they are part Time Lord…All I can guess is that when I changed back into a Time Lord, the fob sought out all of my DNA to change back into TNA, including that outside of my body and inside your womb. Wonder if it would have worked at a distance, I guess one could do tests if they wanted. Oh well I wasn't meant to solved every mystery…" Rambled the Doctor to Rose a bit nervously, as his last statement might have hinted at a desire to experiment with that idea.

Rose thought that made sense, so basically her child was all human at one point, then they became part time lord, and now thanks to her rescue, part time lord, and part Rose/bad wolf. All she wanted was just a healthy child she didn't care what it was genetically as long as she could deliver them safely. The Doctor then began to take out some other equipment and placed them on to Rose's abdomen. There was a major difference between his child and himself. This child much to his dismay had only one heart, so they most likely could never regenerate and certainly might live longer than the average human but nowhere near close to outliving himself. They would all die one…no that was a horrible thought and the Doctor pushed it to the back of his head to ignore. The Doctor had other concerns he thought as he placed a very tiny device that was no thicker than a plaster patch over Rose's abdomen. Rose thought that it was surprisingly warm and asked what it was and what he was doing.

"It's a heart monitor. Did you know that human babies sometimes suffer from sudden infant death syndrome? Their heart just stops! Only one heart and only one shot to get it right and…" Said the Doctor, almost in a panic. Rose wanted to put him at ease and said,

"Doctor relax a heart monitor is fine for later, but I doubt that we'll need it right now. I am literally the baby's life support system. As long as I'm fine the baby will be fine..." Rose paused a moment and mulled over that statement. She had to tell the Doctor something that she was worried that he would not want to hear, but now she realized that it was very important that they make changes. The situation was really starting to sink in again in this moment of calm.

"Doctor we can't take as many risks as we used to. We have the baby to think of now, we're parents. I'm not saying we can't do any planet saving, but we need to at least try to avoid dangerous planets." Much to Rose's surprise the Doctor did not seem as shocked or devastated at her statement. The Doctor being very anxious to please his wife, especially after all he had put her through in the past 48 hours, assured her,

"We can do anything you'd like. We'll steer clear of the dangerous planets and only visit safer ones. There are plenty of family safe planets to visit that are interesting enough. Do you like conkers? I've been meaning to go back to the intergalactic conkers match in the year 56,004. It's going to be held on a lava planet near a dwarf star…" Rose raised her eyebrow at the Doctor to which he sheepishly said,

"Still not the worst idea I've ever had."

"True that was when you decided it would be fun to go scrumping for apples in King Henry VIII's private orchard." Rose reminded the Doctor while crossing her arms and still lying on her back on the exam table.

"We still had an apple pie later, didn't we?" Defended the Doctor.

"You're missing the point, Doctor. You thought that was going to be harmless fun and we nearly lost our heads!" Scolded Rose in growing concern as to what kind of life that they could offer a child as two danger prone space hobos.

"The word is nearly." Said the Doctor, trying to brush off having your head penciled in for the cutting block as no big deal.

"You are impossible." Groaned Rose, to which the Doctor said a cheeky 'thank you'.

"You're lucky that you're so cute." Teased Rose as she pointed at the Doctor accusingly.

"You think I'm cute?!" Asked the Doctor excited to hear a compliment on his new looks from his wife. Rose turned her head but the Doctor could see that her cheeks were red.

"Whatever Doctor, if you for example, have your heart set on conkers just try to think of some time and place safer, yeah. Conkers in the 1900s on Earth for example is safer than on a lava planet." Noted Rose.

"Yes ma'am!" Smiled the Doctor, as he made his way to the console so he could set up the trip for later. Before he could leave the room, however, Rose put up her hand and shouted,

"Wait Doctor, don't you want to know what the baby is? Can't you tell from all this medical equipment?"

The Doctor then realized that he had not yet told Rose the sex of the baby. He didn't know how that had slipped his mind. He had been having such a fun time of it earlier during the invasion being vague using terms like junior to describe the baby. He actually had forgotten to tell Rose now, and he was reminded again that humans were different from time lords. He was a member of a telepathic species. The second that he had become aware of the baby's mind he had known if the baby was a boy, girl or something in between, which was sometimes the case, but not usually a problem to a species that no longer used sexual reproduction to ensure the continuation of its species. He just knew what the baby was, accepted it and moved on to the next thought, all he had really been concern about was that it was healthy and that its mind was functioning properly. Which was not something he took as granted with a rare cross species hybrid like his child. And why he better not keep Rose in suspense any longer.

"It's a girl." Stated the Doctor with a smile, which Rose after taking a moment to process, beamed back an equally larger smile. She was having a girl, a little girl. Guiltily, a thought flashed in her head that she felt that John would have been so thrilled, but she came back to the present. This was as much the Doctor's child as John's and the Doctor was the one who would be helping her raise her.

"Yup (pop), smirked the Doctor, and he continued,

"I guess I'm going to have to develop some form of boy repelling setting on my sonic once she gets old enough to thing boys don't have cooties anymore. Because cooties are very real and can be dangerous. They come from this moon 1000 of light years away from, oh what's the name of that planet? It has great summer squash…Anyway, I've seen them swarm on their prey and I had to get a cootie shot before the locals let me go. Locals were afraid of it spreading, and eating people. They are significantly weakened on Earth due to the presence of seagulls for some reason, but they can cause very harmful skin irritation. Oh there goes my gob again, any way, yes, new settings for the sonic must be made." Rose just rolled her eyes and headed back to her mother's flat as promised.

* * *

It was now January 1st and the Doctor was itching to get going in the TARDIS. Personally he would have rather left on the 26th of December, but he was showing consideration for Rose and the fact that Jackie said that she would slap him silly if he tried to steal away her daughter before New Year's Day. The Doctor had endured the parade of friends and family coming through for the holiday season and it was not easy. Not just for the domestics of it all but having people wondering who he was. Rose had had friends and family at her wedding with John and all noticed his absence. The color from Rose and the Doctor's face had fallen when Jackie's cousin had asked where John was and 'who the handsome man was?' Both of them were about to make an excuse when Jackie quickly said he was a friend of the family. She then pulled her cousin into the kitchen to discuss the other matter, before Rose could say anything. The subject of John was not brought up again that night. It was awkward since Rose and the Doctor didn't have a chance to ask Jackie what she had said until after the guests had gone. Jackie said that she had just told her cousin that it was a sensitive subject, that it was not her place to give details and not to bring it up around Rose again. It was decided that the Doctor was allowed to be absent for any more visits with family if he wanted. Which he did not protest to as the TARDIS always needed maintenance.

On a lighter note, Jackie had been thrilled to learn that her grand baby was going to be a girl and was already having fantasies about showing her off proudly to the neighbors in some cute little outfits. Rose had had the benefit of wearing some baggy clothing for warmth in the flat so she did not have to announce her pregnancy yet to their circle, though Jackie had protested. However, Rose had used the three month excuse to silence her mother on that subject, it just felt too awkward to announce it yet. Jackie just had to be content with having the knowledge of her upcoming grandmotherhood to herself and also planning on making sure that the Doctor paid as equal attention to the baby's human heritage as her alien one. Well at least when she came to visit Grandmum, she would get all the pampering a human grandmother could do. Jackie even offered to babysit whenever they wanted but for no longer than a week at a time, since a baby needed her parents, Jackie loudly explained. Even if one of those parents was a daft alien.

* * *

The Doctor was starting to power up the TARDIS. He'd thrown his new coat over one of the coral struts of the TARDIS not using the coat rack that he had available. He was a rebel after all. The Doctor was very much looking forward to traveling the stars with Rose and to convince her completely that although so much had changed about their life together, there were still many things that had not. Though some things had changed and they were good too. The Doctor pondered the next place that he should take Rose. He knew where he wanted to take Rose, he wanted to take her to Barcelona, but he wasn't sure if Rose was yet in the honeymooning mood. He sat on the jumpseat, kicked up his shoes on the TARDIS console and let out a huge puff of air. He had to think of someplace to take Rose that would be meaningful, safer and not to forward as to where he wanted to go with the relationship yet. Conkers, what was he thinking? Conkers! That was a rubbish second first date…or was this a third first date? It was then that the Doctor started fiddling with whatever he could find in his pockets that he placed there earlier in the week. He pulled out the psychic paper and started absent mindedly flipping it open and closed, pondering where to go, about the last time he pretended to be an FBI agent in the United States, while at the same time, wondering for what reason he would need it next. It was then that to his surprise a message not out of his own mind appeared on the paper. Someone was sending him, personally, a psychic message and a feat like that was worth looking into. It appeared that his presence was required on New Earth, in a hospital ward 26 in New New York City. That could prove interesting and not at all dangerous. He found hospitals to be very dangerous places, if you were on the table, but he and Rose were fit as fiddles, so there was no danger of that. He then felt guilty about wanting to look into a mystery when he should be focusing on his marriage and strengthening his bond with Rose.

"Oh but Rose, likes a good mystery, and it's a civilized planet. It's just a hospital, we'll visit real fast, pick up some kind of baby souvenir in that hospital's shop and then take Rose to dinner and show in the city afterwards. Two birds, one stone! Ha!" Said the Doctor to himself as he set in the coordinates for the City of New New York.

* * *

All the while outside of his magnificent time and space ship, Jackie, his mother-in-law, and Mickey, his wife's Ex, were with Rose bidding her goodbye. Rose adjusted her heavy looking rucksack on her back as she stood speaking to her mother.

"Have you got everything?" Asked Jackie like her daughter was going off to camp or more like war. Rose's adjustment did not go unnoticed by her mother, who then complained,

"Oh Rose that's so heavy! You should have let himself carry that for you." Rose was not in the mood to argue about her husband with her mother when she was already sad to say goodbye to her. Rose wanted things as pleasant as possible. It was trying enough when you stopped by for a visit all the while assuring your mother it was not your last visit and declared,

"I've got everything, don't worry. And it's nothing I can't handle. Later on I promise when I start showing more, then I'll stop carrying heavy things." Jackie still looked annoyed but she relented.

"Oh, alright just be careful." Begged Jackie with concern for her only child and only grandchild.

"I will be, Mum. I got my daughter to think of, yeah." Assured Rose to her mother.

"Oh, I still think you could stand to stay longer. Just promise me that the next time you show up it's not after the baby has been born." Pleaded Jackie to her rover of a daughter.

"Okay, I'm going now. I love you!" Smiled Rose to her mother who said the same to her daughter. Mickey on the other hand was not looking very happy. He would miss Rose and would worry about her. Rose gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek before waving good bye and then happily walked into the TARDIS to join her husband.

* * *

Rose walked into the TARDIS and up the ramp to the console. Reaching the top she placed down her rucksack and looked at the Doctor who smiled warmly at her. It was quite infectious and Rose found herself doing the same. She was worried that this would feel too weird or wrong to be traveling in the TARDIS with a different looking man. But fortunately it was only just a little odd and she was seeing that she was just very excited to get out among the stars again. Rose was hoping for good times now that she didn't have a huge secret that she was keeping from the Doctor anymore. She could actually try to enjoy her pregnancy on the TARDIS and maybe show the Doctor the nursery that the TARDIS built for their daughter. Rose remembered that she probably should put away her bag in case the flight was rough and looked to her bag and saw that it was already gone. This happening anywhere but the TARDIS would feel creepy, but the TARDIS to Rose was as welcome a presence in her mind now as her own thoughts and if the TARDIS wanted to help her unpack then that was fine with Rose.

"Alone at last." Smirked the Doctor as Rose came near to admire the console. At least that was what she told herself, but really she had been finding herself admiring the Doctor's rear end the last couple of days. A few times she had actually wanted to grab at it, but she was still adjusting to the Doctor, and following that instinct would feel strange. She knew that they would get there, to that level of intimacy, with time but for now they were going back to basics.

"So where are we going?" Asked Rose very excited to be traveling again.

"Further than we've ever gone before." Said the Doctor with glee as he pulled a lever and they were off through time and space.

* * *

The TARDIS materialized across the river from a massive looking city. Flying cars zoomed overhead, obviously they all had important places to go this morning. The Doctor had held out his hand to Rose and entreated for her to follow him. Rose went for his hand but the Doctor then slipped out the door with a playful look on his face that begged to be followed. Rose took his challenge to catch him and rushed out of the TARDIS only to have her feet sink slightly in a grassy field that smelt odd. Not unpleasant, but odd. It was overcast but still fairly bright outside. Rose spotted the Doctor beside the TARDIS staring out at a massive metropolis. Hearing Rose behind him, the Doctor encouraged Rose to come to his side and began to slip into tour guide mode, which Rose always enjoyed.

"It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth." Said the Doctor proudly and Rose was floored at the information once it had finally processed. She didn't think that she would ever be jaded to Time Travel. She then spotted the hover cars zipping overhead to the city and was amazed. She found herself reminded of the second back to the future movie,

"That's just. That's just…" Said Rose trying to find the right words. The Doctor was puffing up with pride at Rose's reaction and in a voice that was all confidence he smirked,

"Not bad. Not bad at all." Rose felt no need to bring the Time Lord down a peg because this was truly amazing and she said as much.

"That's amazing. I'll never get used to this. Never." Crowed Rose as she jumped up and down in excitement. What fun they would have here, she didn't even know where they were to start.

"Different ground beneath my feet, different sky. What's that smell?" Said Rose. She had got another whiff of something strange in the air and needed to know what it was. The Doctor reached down to the green grass and pulled some from the ground before saying,

"Apple grass." Rose then placed her hand on the Doctor's and brought it closer to her nose to confirm that it really was the grass that smelt of apples. The Doctor was surprised at the gesture, but once he felt Rose's breath on his fingers, he was grateful for it.

"Apple grass." Confirmed Rose in an official sounding voice. The Doctor just nodded his head in agreement. He was reminded of other times when he had felt the breath of Rose Tyler Smith on his skin. Rose could feel a tension between the two of them again. An odd combination of shyness, longing and sexual frustration of not knowing what were the game rules just yet, but trying to feel for them as you went. That desire to want to let go but also the fear of what could happen if you did. Rose knew that they were not starting over but a strange limbo between what they used to be and starting over, and she knew it was hard on the both of them. Rose wasn't oblivious to the fact that the Doctor was being more, patient, and more domestic, and flirtatious all for the sake of their relationship. She was finding herself warming up every hour to her new Time Lord and maybe soon she would have warmed up enough for them to be in the same place they were just before he had regenerated. Once they got there, then who knew what would happen, but she needed to let him know that she appreciated all that he did for her and that yes they were going to get there. It was just a little more time that was needed. Grabbing the Doctor's hand with both of hers she said to the Doctor,

"It's beautiful. Oh, I love this. Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it." That was probably the closest Rose felt safe saying to her new Doctor that she still loved him. They were still feeling for the bottom of the pool with the new dynamic added to their relationship after all. The Doctor beamed at these words and said just before pulling her off to their new adventure,

"Me too. Come on." And in much the same fashion the Doctor was also telling Rose that he loved her. The Doctor had spotted the perfect place for them to sit down and have a little rest together further along the hillside. Ever the gentleman, the Doctor laid down his big coat onto the grass which would be big enough for both of them to lie comfortably. The Doctor helped Rose to her side of the coat and then after a bit of hesitation he straightened the coat out so that his end of the tail of the coat was closer to Rose. Trying to be real smooth, the Time Lord then sat down and rested his arm on the top of the Jacket. Rose got the message, he was offering his arm as a pillow and much to the Doctor's joy, Rose accepted. He had never been happier to be a pillow before in his life, he thought as Rose rested her head on his outstretched arm. This was the first time that the two of them had laid down like this next to each other in a week. Not because the Doctor didn't want to but he worried that Rose needed to be around him more outside of the bedroom before inside since he changed. He didn't want to subject Rose to awkwardly sleeping next to a strange body that she was not used to. Rose had also been nervous but not for the reason the Doctor had thought. She was worried about forcing herself on him after he had changed so much. He was a whole new man and she wanted to give him time to adjust and know himself again. If he decided that he wanted to lie in a bed together than that was fine. They had had an awkward moment before Rose had gone to bed that night on Christmas day, but the Doctor had saved them from silence by joking that he was going to tinker with the console since he had gotten plenty of sleep already. Rose thought that this had made sense. A person who had been in a coma would surely be a little put off by sleep for a bit. That being settled Rose had gone to sleep in her bed that smelt of the new Doctor, which she hoped would help her get used to her husband's new body faster too.

* * *

Using his superior sense of smell the Doctor unknowingly to Rose took in her scent and let its sensation relax him. The Doctor felt Rose adjust herself closer and the two continued to look out at the water towards the city among the taller grass that sheltered them from the wind blowing lightly across the hillside.

"Just think in a few months I'll probably find this position very uncomfortable, yeah?" Laughed Rose as she placed a hand over her growing abdomen. The Doctor's eyes went down to Rose's stomach and he smiled at the thought of the new life they had unwittingly, but not unwantedly created.

"Oh, I was reading up on that, I'll show you plenty of comfortable positions for you to take in bed." Said the Doctor in an overly helpful voice. And no sooner had he finished talking he realized how what he had said could be taken another away entirely. Any doubt that Rose's mind had not gone there was snuffed out by the color red that Rose's cheeks turned. The Doctor found himself blushing too and worried that Rose would think he was being suggestive, although he wished that he could be with her, but it was still too soon he felt. The object of this trip was to make Rose feel anything but uncomfortable to be around him while adventuring. Trying to save himself the Doctor said,

"I didn't mean it that, well I would like, but not if you didn't want…not that I expect you….So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted." The lecturer in the Doctor then kicked it into high gear and he just as well should have shouted, 'Oh, look a distraction!' to switch Rose's attention on something else. Rose could see that the Doctor was just as nervous as she was, and it made her laugh to herself that they were in a way struggling through the same problem of trying to get to know each other again. It was like a first date.

"That was our first date." Smiled Rose, breaking the tension and giving the Doctor a happy memory to focus on. The Doctor grateful that Rose was being so amiable, even with his slip up. Not that she wasn't usually amiable. Any way it gave him confidence and relaxed him enough to smirk back,

"We had chips." He loved any chance he had to remind Rose that he still remembered everything that they did together. That those memories were just as important to him and indeed remembered. And he wanted to show her that he still and never stopped loving her. Rose laughed happy and relieved that he remembered. Also the quirky little way he would talk Rose was finding charmed her every time and he could always make her giggle.

"So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place." Explained the Doctor as he waved his hand, gesturing the planet. It was actually amazing, but mathematically there had to be at least one planet out their just like Earth.

"Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in." Finished the Doctor on his explanation of the planet that they lay on.

"What's the city called?" Asked Rose, she had been staring at it long enough, she wanted to know what such an amazing city was called.

"New New York." Replied the Doctor matter-of-factly. Rose thought that the Doctor was pulling her leg and expressed her disbelief, but the Doctor was insistent.

"It is. It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. Would sort of make that old Sinatra song a bit of a labored effort now, wouldn't it? That many News. What?" Asked the Doctor as he spotted a quite inquisitive grinning look on Rose's face that was not upsetting but curious to him.

"You're so different." Rose stated simply. The Doctor for a moment was worried that that was a problem but then realized that it was not meant as an insult, accusation, disappointment, or inquiry. It was just different. The Doctor wished she had said more to explain what she was feeling and meant by that statement.

"New New Doctor." Joked the Doctor but feeling insecurities bubbling up again, still, he thought better of it and of the mentioning that he was no longer his old self but a new self. Well he was new outside but inside he was the same him that loved his wife. He just wished that he wasn't constantly questioning if what he did with Rose in his old form was okay now. He wondered vaguely if this had been anything like Rose had felt trying to relate to him when he had changed from his human self to a time lord. And if it was, he was an absolute git.

The Doctor might have been being paranoid, but much to the Doctor's dismay, he had learned earlier in the week that Rose did not even remember their last kiss they shared and he had actually initiated with her. He didn't want to dive any deeper out of fear that the old him was a topic still too raw. Just because rose was ready to accept him as the Doctor, and loved traveling with him, did not mean that she was ready to be with him like she had wanted with his old self. He didn't want her to feel pressured to accept him all together right away and wanted their relationship to move naturally in a way that felt right for both of them. He wanted when they were together again in that sense to be perfect. She was probably still mourning the loss of his other body and the Doctor was okay with that. He would wait for as long as he had to for Rose to want to be with him in this new body. He just hoped that it wouldn't take too long in his selfishness. The Doctor had also been reading up on human pregnancy and sometimes females would become very uncomfortable. Such activities that she had had in mind with his last self and if he were honest, what he really wanted to do now, might be a while off still even if she were ready to bring their relationship to that point. But then Rose giggled at his comment, 'new new Doctor', and the Doctor once more was laughing along with Rose at his silliness.

He loved Rose's laugh. It always made him feel better, even when sometimes she were laughing at him. He might tell her one day that when he was his old self he went out of his way to make her laugh with some clownish behavior or remark. That old him, really did worship Rose and as ridiculous a concept as it was, he still was feeling like he was competing with himself. He would be funnier. He would entertain Rose more than his old self had. When he tripped up and Rose laughed at the ridiculous states she would find him in, like the time he had gotten himself covered in a cake-like substance when he had tried to impress Rose at a festival with his juggling skills, he wouldn't be all grumpy but take it on the cheek and laugh at himself too. He didn't want to make Rose forget about his old self, he just wanted her not to feel like she had gotten a raw deal or watered down version of her old Doctor. The Doctor realized that he felt very insecure and he did not like it.

"Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?" Asked Rose with a hint of seduction in her voice, but before that could register to the Time Lord his high speed brain had already suggested,

"Well, I thought we might go there first." He then pointed to an elegant pair of curved skyscrapers standing apart from the city on their side of the river. The Building was very sterile looking with a large green crescent moon on the side.

"Why, what is it?" Questioned Rose as she scrunched her eyes to get a better look at the building in the distance. The wind was making it a little hard to see now. Getting a bit serious now the Doctor explained to his wife,

"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper." Which the Doctor then produced and showed to Rose. The paper then flashed the words, 'Ward 26. Please Come'. Sort of a futuristic telegram, thought the Doctor jokingly to himself, just needed the 'STOP' at the end.

"Someone wants to see me." Said the Doctor with a hint of obvious interest in his voice.

"Hmm. And I thought we were just sight-seeing." Said Rose a little annoyed that the real reason he had brought her here was to run an errand and not strictly pleasure. But she was also excited that they had a mystery too and she wasn't one to leave a question unanswered. Who was this mysterious person who wanted to see the Doctor and had the means to send him a message so amazingly directly? Those thoughts alone did intrigued her, but she still couldn't rush into danger anymore on purpose.

"We will be doing that, after the visit. I got a play and dinner all lined up." Assured the Doctor very worried that Rose was miffed with him. But Rose honestly wasn't, she could compromise easily and it wasn't like they were on a schedule. They didn't have to be back in time for anything, except the birth of their child, and it wasn't like they had to worry about an expensive hotel fee. Their home they could take with them and park anywhere they like. She was concerned about a few things about visiting a hospital though, but Rose had heard the distress on the Doctor's voice and said,

"It is fine Doctor, just... is it going to be a problem for the baby? Alien germs in the hospital and all? Do I even have all my vaccinations for this time? Well I guess there is no way I could… And I'm a rare case, hmm? I'm carrying a time Lord Hybrid, yeah. No one's going to want to experiment on me?" The Doctor understood Rose's concerned, but that was worry to apply to an earlier age. He was also slightly hurt that she would think that he would bring her intentionally to a place that might put her and the baby in danger. But it was also endearing that she was this protective of their offspring too so he decided not to be offended. Rose was only trying to be a good mother and it wasn't like there wasn't the added pressure that this was probably the only child that they would ever have since their daughter was only here because of a serious of rare circumstances.

"Usually you have nothing to fear from a hospital if you walk into it under your own power, Rose. This is a civilized planet. No one will give us a second look. And they keep these hospitals so clean you could eat off the bathroom floor without a care, Rose. Not that you'll have to. And I would never endanger the two of you intentionally, you know that, Rose." Said the Doctor to alleviate Rose's worries. Rose felt a bit silly for being overly worried. She knew that the Doctor would keep her safe anywhere they went and he had kept her safe to this point. Well she was still alive and had all her body parts so that qualified as being kept safe to her. Rose then thought that it could be interesting to see what hospitals looked like in the future.

"Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes. If they still exist…" Rose joked to ease any leftover tension. Visiting someone in the hospital wasn't asking too much after all. Little did the Doctor and Rose know that almost the second they had left the TARDIS they had been watched by a very familiar spider-like robot.

* * *

The closer the Doctor got to the hospital the more his confidence began to waver. He had just finished telling Rose that it was completely safe and now he was having second thoughts coming up on the giant exoglass doors. As they walked through the doors he accidentally let it slip out,

"I hate hospitals."

"The Doctor, hates hospitals? Well no body likes em, you're just glad it's there when you need it. Bit rich coming from you."

"I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps." Whined the Doctor and Rose giggled. What did he have some kind of phobia about them like some did about going to the dentist?

"I thought you said it was safe?" Asked Rose, a little nervous but more amused by the Doctor's nervousness.

"It is, but they still give me the creeps. You try waking up in a morgue drawer and see how you feel about..." Said the Doctor indignantly, but Rose was now distracted by the sights and sounds of the hospital lobby. The PA system was giving out information and everything looked clean and relaxing.

"Very smart. Not exactly NHS." Said Rose amazed as she looked at a nice sitting area up ahead and saw people all in white with strange hats that covered their faces walking by. The Doctor would have been miffed that she wasn't listening to his horrifying tale, but then noticed that something was missing from the hospital that was very important to him.

"No shop. I like the little shop." He announced in disappointment. He had wanted to get a little something for the baby…well a little something to give Rose that was for the baby. There was nothing wrong with building up thoughtful brownie points with your expectant wife.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything." Noted Rose, as she spun around slowly to look up at the ceiling. The Doctor thought that that was a cute and hopeful idea but explained nonchalantly,

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war." Rose finished her circle and then caught a glance at what appeared to be a woman walking past her in the same white outfit she had seen some other people wearing earlier. Only this time they did not have their face covered. Rose realized that the faces of the nursing staff in their nun-like wimples and habits resembled that of a cat. Rose stared a bit dumbfounded and very rudely as the woman walked by Rose with a slight nod as she made eye contact. Rose could not help but follow the strange woman with her eyes as she walked away and finally finding her words said to her husband, while pointing still rudely,

"They're cats." The Doctor for once was not being the rude one and chastised his wife's behavior, telling her,

"Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow." Rose had never thought about it that way before. Was being pink and yellow weird enough to point out? Sure she thought aliens looked weird, but she probably did too. She only had the coincidence that she looked Time Lord so that the Doctor could easily move among her species unnoticed after all. How weird must she look to a cat by not having whiskers, but a primate-like nose instead of catlike one? Maybe that was why her cat growing up always stared at her. The Doctor then got distracted and pointing off to a little office on the ground floor declared,

"That's where I'd put the shop. Right there." Rose pondered a bit more and didn't realize that the Doctor meant for her to follow him as he walked into the nearest lift alone.

"Ward 26, thanks!" He requested to the elevator computer. Rose heard the Doctor's request in the lift and then realized that the Doctor was leaving for the ward. A bit scared, because she didn't know exactly where she was supposed to go, shouted for him to hold the elevator. Rose saw the Doctor's face, he realized that he had mistakenly left Rose behind as the doors closed in Rose's face and the lift started to rise.

"Oh, too late. I'm going up." Shouted the Doctor through the door apologetically and annoyed at the stupid domestic mistake he had made.

"It's all right, there's another lift." Shouted Rose back to the Doctor as she slapped the call panel for the adjacent lift. She would just have to race him to the right floor, but at this point there was no chance of her winning the race.

"Ward 26." The Doctor reminded his wife, he didn't want her getting lost. He wasn't worried that she would be in any danger. He just wanted to get in and out fast so he could spend more time with Rose. The Doctor then remembered something that he had forgotten to tell Rose, and wanting to warn her so she would not be too startled shouted,

"And watch out for the disinfectant." He barely heard Rose ask 'watch out for what?' and he tried to shout 'DISINFECTANT' more clearly, but Rose just wasn't hearing him he was too far up the shaft. The Time Lord was now very annoyed.

"The disin. Oh, you'll find out." Grumbled the Doctor giving up. She would just have to be a little surprised is all. Rose no longer being able to hear the Doctor and realizing that the lift was moving further up the building, resigned herself to enter the neighboring lift. Rose walked in a bit nervously, it looked like a regular elevator enough, a bit fancy but recognizable. Were elevators the same in this time? Not seeing any buttons to push, Rose decided to do as the Doctor had and said a little unsure,

"Um, Ward 26, thanks." The lift then to her surprise felt like it was going down, but where ever it was going had to be Ward 26.

"Commence stage one disinfection." Said the PA system in both lifts. The Doctor knew what was coming, but Rose did not. So while the Doctor more or less enjoyed his drenching that followed as he was bathed in disinfecting solution, Rose started screaming in surprise. Was that suppose to happen she wondered, but just as soon as she was getting used to the warm spray, she was shot with a spray of talcum-like powder, that amazingly did not stick to her clothing. Rose blinked her eyes in confusion, but then she was being blow dried clean. A few moments more, Rose finally was getting the hang of this disinfecting spray cleaning and was straightening her hair as best she could in one of the mirrors. Whatever this solution was she had been bathed in, it dried very quickly. A little part of her was however disappointed that the Doctor and her had not taken the same lift together. Otherwise she might have gotten to see the new him get wet too, which she would have enjoyed for more than a few amusing reasons.

* * *

Now all dry the Doctor emerged from the lift to see yet another clean floor, but this time sectioned off with areas for beds. Merrily he made his way to find the mysterious person who had contacted him among the occupants of the Ward.

'It straight forward enough, Rose will have no trouble finding me.' Thought the Doctor as walked passed the other lift. Rose probably wasn't done disinfecting yet, and if she were not happy about it then it was probably best to give her a few minutes to calm down. Coward every time. Rose could be almost as scary as his mother-in-law when she was genuinely angry.

* * *

Rose also came out of the lift clean but unlike the clean and pristine floors she had seen earlier this floor looked very different and disused to her. Rose was creeped out enough by the dark and foreboding hallway as it was. She didn't need what happened next. Some ways ahead of her was a hunched over creepy looking man all dressed in white standing among the rubbish on the floor.

"The human child is clean." Stated the man. This did not give Rose too much information then what she already knew and if the state of this hallway was anything to go one, then something was not right. Still hoping that she was mistaken, but strongly feeling she wasn't asked,

"Er, I'm looking for Ward 26?"

"This way, Rose Tyler Smith." Instructed the creepy man who then ran off down the hallway. Rose now knew without a doubt that something was wrong. How did he know her name? Had the Doctor told him? But then where was he? She really hoped that they would have a laugh about this later, but feeling vulnerable, she picked up a metal bar and followed carefully. If this thing did anything more that made her feel her baby was threatened, then she was going to crack the guy's skull open.

* * *

**Author's notes: ** This chapter actually needs cultural notes if you aren't familiar with old British games, and shenanigans.

**Conkers** is a traditional children's game in Britain and Ireland played using the seeds of Horse Chestnut trees. The name 'conker' is also applied to the seed and to the tree itself. The game is played by two players, each with a conker threaded onto a piece of string: they take turns striking each other's conker until one breaks.

**Scrumping** - Stealing fruit, especially apples, from someone else's trees. British. It's considered less bad than, say, shoplifting, but adults still disapprove.

I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm actually sorry to leave it off here, but I made myself a promise that chapters wouldn't be any longer than 9,000 words from now on. That includes author's notes. It gets a bit hard to manage otherwise. I find myself falling asleep doing proof reads at night. The next chapter will make up for stopping here. Anyway the fun stuff, it's going to be a baby girl. I already have a name picked out, but you are going to have to wait a while yet to meet her, so please stay with me. Also it kills me that I have to wait so long to let out some special chapters I finished for down the road, but I guess it just gives me time to make it better if I want. I was hoping to get a few more people to visit my tumblr page, the-Plot-Thinens, but maybe you don't have tumblrs. I should have thought of that first, heh…but still you could just say 'hi' if you do…


	7. Chapter 7 The Btchy Body snatcher

**Complications**

by the Plot-Thinens

Chapter 07 The B*tchy Body snatcher

* * *

The Doctor, having found the Ward that he was looking for, now had to go about the business of finding out whom, among these dozens of patients, was the person that he was meant to be visiting. The Doctor had been stopped at reception by a group of veiled cat nurses of which one escorted the Doctor on his tour of the Ward. The Doctor and the cat nurse had been walking a little while and finally came through some exoglass doors to the first room full of patients. The nurse did not seem set on making conversation and the Doctor hated quiet, quiet made his mind think of places he rather not think about. Disliking the silence the Doctor looked about the advance medical ward and declared,

"Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop." The nurse finding this an odd topic removed her veil and stated,

"The hospital is a place of healing." She could not understand why this man should think that a shop should be in a hospital. If you wanted to shop you could just go to one of the many shops in the city. That was pretty much where everyone went to on this planet that was paying a visit for worldly reasons.

"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people." Trailed off the Doctor as he thought about how happy Jackie got when shopping. A fact that he had observed first hand as John and as this himself now. Jackie had wanted to go shopping with Rose. The Doctor, wanting to stay by Rose's side and protect her and their child, had more or less made it look like he was agreeing to come along. Jackie had been so excited that her daughter was having a baby that they must have toured every baby shop within a 50 mile radius of the Powell Estate. He thought that they were going to walk away with more baby things then even the TARDIS had room for, especially when Rose had let it slip that the Doctor pretty much had unlimited credit. The Doctor's lamenting about his Mother-in-law was interrupted when the cat nurse escorting him, declared,

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend." The Doctor ambled pass the first cubicle, not really looking at it, but that was enough to raise the hackles of the personal aid of the patient occupying it.

"Excuse me! Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York!" Hissed the woman. The Doctor's attention had then been immediately turned to the shrieking woman and that was when he noticed the patient's condition. And what a shame it was.

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?" Asked the Doctor very worried for the man. The man almost unable to speak for his stiffening jaw uttered,

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence, and it ends like this." The woman was quick to her boss' defense, worrying that his statement could be used against him and snarled,

"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance."

"Frau Clovis! I'm so weak." Whispered the Duke to his aid who then tightly clasped the dying man's hand. It looked like she was about to say something to the Duke, but then turned to their 'audience' and demanded,

"Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please." Having no problem in granting her wish The Doctor and Jatt walked on.

"He'll be up and about in no time." Assured the Cat nurse, but the Doctor was not as optimistic.

"I doubt it. Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue." Declared the Doctor in a sad voice. The Cat nun however was not put off by his comment and firmly stated,

"Have faith in the Sisterhood." The cat nun then looked about agitated wishing that they could find who the man was looking for so that she could go back to work.

"But is there no one here you recognize? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient." Said Jatt with a hint of irritation on her voice, she was a nurse and a nun but even her patience had a limit. The Doctor however had his gaze fixed to his left and with a smile on his face. He believed that he had solved his mystery.

"No, I think I've found him." Smiled the Doctor. There inside a large container was a huge face by the picture window at the end of the ward that had the loveliest view of the city across the water. It was the face of Boe. Relieved that they had found who the man was looking for Jatt gladly handed him off to,

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Asked Jatt, who began to walk away but before she could get far from the Doctor requested,

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Mrs. Rose Tyler Smith. Could you ask at reception?" If that was all it took to be rid of him then Jatt gladly agreed, something about the man just smelt of trouble to her.

"Certainly, sir." She answered and left. Hame was a much younger looking cat nun. She was the newest to the Sisterhood and quite quiet and soft spoken. The Doctor thought her a much nicer change to the stoic and very businesslike cat nun who he had just parted company with.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or…" Hame began to say leaving him to fill in the blank. The Doctor then replied,

"We met just the once on Platform One with my wife. What's wrong with him?" Hame felt bad that he had to learn this way. She wished that she had better news to give the gentleman but all she could report was,

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying." This was very sad news to the Doctor who asked what he was dying of.

"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible." Said Hame very solemnly.

The Doctor smirked at the word impossible. That word pretty much summed up his entire life up to this point. Smirking the Doctor replied,

"Oh, I don't know. I like impossible. I've got two impossible beings in my life right now, why not a third?" The Doctor then knelt down to be at eye level with the Face of Boe and hoped that he would recognize him without the leather and cropped black hair. He had a different voice too, so the Doctor wondered how easy it would be to convince him.

"I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me, It's the Doctor." He said gently to the ancient being so not to disturb him too much.

* * *

Rose continued to make her way down the corridor, metal club in hand. She heard music playing and passed through some plastic flaps over a door way. There a reel to reel projector was showing a film of a party. If there was anything that Rose was expecting to see it was certainly not a form of movie projecting that was outdated already in her time. What was it doing here in this time and in this dungeon like place? She knew that the Doctor had told her that the people of the future liked retro but this was still very out of place. As Rose focused on the projection instead of its projector, she realized that it also had sound. She saw a blond woman on the film and then heard her speak.

"I mean, you never know what your life is going to be like, ever. I'm bored with this drink. Anyway. Oh, hello darling! Now, don't. Stop it." Said the woman as she socialized and flirted with so many people in the movie. Then it clicked.

"Wait a minute, that's…" Said Rose as she recognized the voice on the projection. She couldn't believe it but that was Cassandra's voice and she wanted to make her discovery known to the odd person who had led her here. Turning around and on the defensive she saw someone she was not expecting, Cassandra.

"Peekaboo!" Declared Cassandra condescendingly. Rose was startled to see Cassandra to say the least. Rose was filled with fear and motherly concern for her child knowing what danger was usually around this being. Instinctually she lifted her metal rod up and threateningly pointed it at Cassandra.

"Don't you come anywhere near me, Cassandra." Rose hissed at her enemy.

"Why? What do you think I'm going to do? Flap you to death?" Jeered Cassandra not being able to believe the ignorance that she saw in the human girl. Rose had to agree with that statement, but she was still worried about the creepy man lurking behind Cassandra.

"Yeah, but what about Gollum?" Asked Rose concerned as she brandished her club at the little creepo. Unconcerned Cassandra explained,

"Oh that's just Chip. He's my pet." At those words Chip spoke up as a little lap dog might bark at an unfamiliar person,

"I worship the mistress." Cassandra then demanded that Chip moisturize her which he happily did with a large spray bottle. Cassandra then explained to Rose,

"He's not even a proper life form. He's a force grown clone. I modeled him on my favorite pattern. But he's so faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs." Rose's mind went to a place that she rather not have had it gone with regards to needs. Hoping that she had the wrong idea Rose asked,

"I hope that means food. How comes you're still alive?"

"After you murdered me." Hissed Cassandra to which Rose quickly defended,

"That was your own fault." Chip then in a very defensive voice explained,

"The brain of my mistress survived. And her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin." That explained most of it but didn't tell the whole story thought Rose.

"What about the skin? I saw it. You, you got ripped apart." Asked Rose in a mocking tone.

"That piece of skin was taken from the front of my body. This piece is the back." Said Cassandra and this news only made Rose smirk and laugh as she realized the possibility.

"Right! So you're talking out of you're a…" Laughed Rose but was interrupted by Cassandra who commanded that she ask not.

"The mistress was lucky to survive. Chip secreted m'lady into the hospital." Stated Chip protectively of his mistress. Rose realized then that the two of them were here secretly and not actual patients or staff. To which Chip went on about how he stole medicine for Cassandra and as he approached his mistress began to stroke the flap of skin that was Cassandra.

"Helps m'lady. Soothes her, strokes her." Rose would like to be anywhere else right now for many reasons and commanded,

"You can stop right there, Chip." She had no desire to learn any more about his duties to his mistress.

"But I'm so alone, hidden down here. The last Human in existence." Lamented Cassandra, but Rose was having none of that.

"Don't start that again. They've called this planet New Earth." Growled Rose, but Cassandra simply dismissed it as a vegetable patch.

"And there's millions of Humans out there. Millions of them." Bragged Rose to her disillusioned 'cousin' who, by mere accident of biology, was probably the most genetically related to her than any other human at this point. Again Cassandra dismissed this claim and called the humans on New Earth, mutant stock. Rose was now at her patience end. What was so wrong with evolving? If you don't evolve you get stuck. A dead end. Even she was doing her part to evolve the species. She had an impossible human time lord hybrid in her womb, who she was growing ever more concerned for as she spent more time in this freak show's company. They had brought her here for a reason and it could be for no good reason. That was for sure.

"They evolved, Cassandra. They just evolved, like they should. You stayed still. You got yourself all pickled and preserved, and what good did it do you?" Questioned Rose, but Cassandra was looking ahead at the projection, lost in memories of happier times.

"Oh, I remember that night. Drinks for the Ambassador of Thrace. That was the last time anyone told me I was beautiful. After that it all became such hard work." She grumbled towards the end. Rose just rolled her eyes at the flap of skin.

"Well, you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that." Said Rose dismissively, looking now for a change to bow out and get back to her husband. Definitely warn him that these two were down here and to tell security.

"But I've not been idle, Rose, tucked away underneath this hospital. I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something." Warned Cassandra. That peaked Rose's interest a bit, but she was still making her way towards the exit.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she casually backed away.

"Oh these cats have secrets. Hush, let me whisper. Come close." Entreated Cassandra, but Rose wasn't stupid enough to do that. Rose and her baby were getting out of there.

"You must be joking if you think I'm coming anywhere near you." Said Rose first with a laugh, but the last part with a hiss. Rose then made her break for the exit, backing away as fast as she could, only to be grabbed by an energy field as she tried to leave the room. Her hands were held up and Rose was unable to move. She was very scared for her baby and herself. She knew that this skin was capable of killing. Was this the revenge killing that the skin no doubt wanted against her? Rose was scared. If she shouted out that she was pregnant, would the skin spare her life for the sake of her daughter? Probably not. Cassandra only cared about her own survival, not the survival of other members of her species, even if she bluffed that her child was all human. Which of course it was not and that sort of 'mixing' Cassandra hated most of all.

"Chip, activate the psychograft." Demanded Cassandra of her slave. No sooner had Cassandra's spider spotted Rose outside, she had her servant busy at finishing the psychograft. Now that she had the most human female body she could find at her disposal, Cassandra was leaving this chapter of her long life behind.

"I can't move. Cassandra, let me go! What're you doing?" Shouted Rose in a panic. Light then streamed down from a contraption over her head and encircled her body. Rose was terrified she had failed to keep her baby and herself safe. Was she to die and the Doctor wouldn't even know what happened to her? How much was this going to hurt him? Her last thought, before she went into what felt like a sleep, were of her Doctor and the hope that he would eventually recover from whatever grief was to come for him.

"The lady's moving on. It's goodbye trampoline, and hello blonde." Announced Cassandra as a whoosh of energy from Cassandra transferred to Rose. Once the transfer was complete everything switched off and Rose's body collapsed to the floor on its side. Chip quickly ran over to the body that his Mistress now inhabited to give her any aid that he could.

"Mistress?" He asked with concern as Cassandra began to come around and out of habit she told Chip to,

"Moisturize me." Chip went to grab the bottle of moisturizer and that was when Cassandra realized that she once again had limbs to control! She was in sensory overload.

"How bizarre. Arms, fingers…" Noted Cassandra as she took stock of her new body parts. Something then she noticed was blocking the view of one of her new eyes. She focused in on and realized that it was,

"Hair!" Said Cassandra in shock before wobbly getting to her new feet and racing as fast as she could for a mirror.

"Let me see! Let me see... Oh my God. I'm a chav!" Cassandra shrieked the last part in horror.

* * *

The Doctor handed Nurse Hame a cold cup of water. It was the least that he could do for her keeping an eye on his friend. Well they were sort of friends. Actually they had not talked too much at the time they had just met, but saving the Face of Boe's life from burning up probably had endeared the Doctor to him. Other than that they didn't really know each other too well.  
The cat nurse accepted the cup and smiling she said,

"That's very kind. There's no need." She was just doing her job after all. She was probably one of the most dedicated nurses in the hospital, though for a cat her mannerisms were a bit mousy. The Doctor didn't think she was probably the type to speak up for herself, but she was sweet.

"You're the one working." Reminded the Doctor. She should stay hydrated while working. Hame blushed in modesty and insisted,

"There's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs." Hame thought that the Face of Boe was a very wise being and she was honored that he would share any part of him with her. She only wished that he were not so weak now. Old age was a sad thing that she wished she could help cure, but like all things eventually everything had to pass on. The Doctor reflected on the age of the Face of Boe, surely a being that old must have made many friends. Some of them had to still be alive.

"Am I the only visitor?" Questioned the Doctor. With a sound of respect and wonder on her voice Hame explained to the Time Lord,

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret, that he will speak those words only to one like himself." The Doctor could not help but relate and see a possible parallel between himself and this story. Who was it who started all of these legends anyway?

"What does that mean?" He asked for clarity to see if there were not some detail that she was leaving out, but Hame insisted that it was just a story. Regardless the Doctor asked her to tell him any additional information she had about the Face of Boe.

"It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. To the man without a home. The lonely God", she finished and then took a small sip of the water the Doctor had offered her. The Doctor was definitely seeing parallels. He had to be involved in this and he wanted to know what it was that Boe had to say to him. He really didn't like to rush the ill, but he really wished that Boe would wake up and speak to him. He hated waiting.

* * *

"Look at me. From class to brass." Hollered Cassandra in horror as she looked at her new stolen body's reflection in a mirror that Chip had stolen for her. At the first glance, she was not pleased, but then she observed 'herself' for a second time.

"Although…" Cassandra mused as she unzipped the sweater that she was wearing, so that more of her chest was showing.

"Oh, curves. Oh, baby, Curves oh, it's like living inside a bouncy castle!" Said Cassandra, bouncing on her heels as she observed herself fully in the mirror, especially her new chest. Now that she had stopped looking at her face and observing her new chest, she noticed something odd about the lower half of her.

"Hmm, oh…Big curves. That's not right, I think… Did she put on weight since last we met?" Asked Cassandra of her servant, as if he'd know, as she placed her hands on her stolen body's abdomen.

"I believe the human child is with child herself mistress and the scans from earlier would also support that assumption, Mistress." Cassandra regarded the idea that she was not only in a situation in which the body she had stolen would stretch and change most unpleasantly with time, but also that she had a parasite feeding off her new body's resources. Much to her irritation this was definitely a second hand body, used with mileage on it. Cassandra had never had children. The idea itself was disgusting to her. She would never sacrifice her figure and body, or convenience for another. Yet Rose seemed to be doing just that. Nice looking bodies were wasted on some people. Not that it was the best body she could have got, still it was human, the chest left something to be desired, maybe she could push up her new assets a bit until she could have them medically enhanced.

"Ugk, imagine, stretch marks!" Scoffed Cassandra as these unpleasant thoughts about Rose reminded her of another unpleasant memory of Rose. Rose had once called her,

"A bitchy trampoline", ha, well she might have had stretch marks before as a stretched piece of skin, but at least hers were beautiful, unlike what this tart was willing to endure. She bet that this human was probably the type to want to breast feed too. Yet another means of wrecking your body she thought as she pondered all the ill effects this pregnancy could have on her new body.

"Disgusting!" Scoffed Cassandra, but then she got a view of herself from another angle in slight profile and saw that the stomach did show an interesting curve. From the side was better than a front on view of her body which made her look a bit pudgy.

"But then again… aren't I just the yummy mummy?" She said as she rubbed slowly down her stomach to her navel. She decided that she shouldn't get too bent out of shape about it, since there wasn't a surgery that couldn't fix any bumps later down the road that she might have trouble with.

"Anyway this is a condition that is easily taken care of in plenty of ways. And I can always fix any damage this parasite is doing to this body." Noted Cassandra, calculating her options as she stretched her arms behind her head and admired her new Body's chest again which had probably gotten bigger lately for obvious reasons and was likely to get bigger. She was starting to develop some pride in her new fixer upper.

"The mistress is beautiful." Cheered Chip as he bounced up and down excited for his mistress' good luck. Any compliment easily enflamed Cassandra's ego.

"Absolutement! Oh, but look…" Said Cassandra happily in a French sounding accent, but then looked over to where her former 'body' used to be. The equipment that had been keeping flat Cassandra alive was fried.

"Oh, the brain lead expired. My old mistress is gone." Mourned Chip at the loss. Cassandra was not concerned and merely smirked as she pointed to her new head,

"But safe and sound in here."

"But what of the Rose child's mind?" Asked Chip with obviously more concern for Rose than his mistress.

"Oh, tucked away. I can just about access the surface memory... She's. Gosh, she's with the Doctor. A man... And this thing in me, It's his! He's the Doctor. Guess he does get some after all. Not recently though… No matter. But that's the same Doctor with a new face. That hypocrite!" Growled Cassandra in anger as she made her way to the mirror again. Cassandra, in spite of herself, was amazed with the work he had done. The Doctor looked like he had a whole new body! Cassandra wondered if she could use the same means to get this chavy body looking more like hers used to when she was fully human. Her old looks were infinitely superior to Rose's any day.

"I must get the name of his surgeon. I could do with a little work." Cassandra then rubbed at her new behind which, in this case, was yet again a form of violation to Rose's body,

"Although nice rear bumper. Hmm. Oh!" Said Cassandra pleased, but the last part in some surprise. Something had startled her.

Cassandra had not had a body to speak of in centuries and it was not an exaggeration to say that she was hypersensitive of every going on in Rose's body. She had vague memories of what it felt like to breathe and feel hair on your head. She sort of had recollections of how your stomach churned and yes even waste moving through your intestines. However, nothing that she had experienced before was anything like she felt at that moment. She had experienced what felt like a flutter in her abdomen area and at first she might have written it off as indigestion, but then it dawned on her what it was that she was feeling. The tiny life inside her host's womb was moving. Cassandra felt an odd flush of chemicals bombard her borrowed head, flooding her brain, as the desire to nurture tried to wash over her survivor's instinct. It was only through will and the desire to live above all other things that she was able to fight off any maternal instincts that she might have vicariously felt through Rose's body. Rose for one would have really liked feeling what Cassandra was fighting off experiencing in her place. This was a precious stolen moment that Cassandra saw as nothing.

"It moved. The thing in there moved." Noted Cassandra to Chip as she tried to forget about the parasite that she was unwillingly, for the moment, carrying. It was then that Cassandra felt yet another movement only this time not in her stomach but on her rear end. Her rear end was ringing! The phone in Rose's back pocket was ringing.

"Oh, it seems to be ringing. Is it meant to ring?" Asked Cassandra of her servant as she looked to see what was going on on her new behind. Cassandra pulled Rose's phone out of the back pocket of her newly acquired body. She held it up to Chip, not knowing what to do with it. Being very knowledgeable, Chip explained,

"A primitive communications device." Afraid that if she did not answer than suspicions of her body's absence would raise, Cassandra very carefully answered the call.

"Rose dear, where are you?" Asked the Doctor a bit concerned for his obviously lost wife. He had been in the ward for a while now and was actually getting a bit bored waiting for his wife to catch up so that they could make the rounds together with his new friends he had made and then be on their way for a romantic, as he could make it, evening. Hopefully the Face of Boe, if not awake by the time they left for dinner, would be awake when they came back for another visit. Bad timing on his part, ironically, that the Face of Boe was sleeping when he came to visit.

"How does she speak?" Whispered Cassandra to Chip in a slight panic at being found out so soon.

"Old Earth Cockney." Whispered Chip back to his mistress, ever helpful. Cassandra began running through her mind something that Rose would say on the phone. In what felt to her like a thousand minutes, she finally remembered something she had seen in a movie once.

"Er, wotcha." Said Cassandra in the best cockney accent that she could make while relying heavily on the most stereotypical knowledge she had of that archaic dialect. It almost pained her to let such a primitive dialect cross her lips.

"Where've you been? I've been worried about you, Rose. How long does it take to get to Ward 26?" The Doctor asked a little miffed but mostly concerned. He wanted to share all that he had found out and not found out with the competent life form that was also his wife. Cassandra's confidence started to grow as it was obvious that she had fooled the Doctor and maybe now over doing it, she spoke again.

"I'm on my way, governor. I shall proceed up the apples and pears." Declared Cassandra, hoping that was something that Rose would say. The Doctor grinned at what he thought was Rose joking around on the phone in a silly voice. Rose always knew how to make him laugh. It was good that they were this relaxed together on something as simple as a phone conversation. He decided to lighten up for a bit and convey some really amazing news to Rose that he knew would excite her. And maybe get her moving up here faster.

"You'll never guess. I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?" Asked the Doctor still smiling over the phone.

"Of course I do. That big old Boat race." Said Cassandra, faking interest and bluffing all the way. She sort of remembered someone called Boat, but Cassandra never had a mind for remembering people she did not consider as important as she was. Although to be fair she had no problem remembering people who tried to kill her. Whoever he was, if the Doctor liked him then she probably hated him too. The Doctor felt that the conversation was going swimmingly and emboldened by the sound of her voice. He then looked to his left and right. Seeing that he was alone, he leaned in closer to the phone to be a bit naughty with a cliché.

"So…What are you wearing? Kidding, kidding. Just get up here. I'd better go. See you in a minute." Said the Doctor as he hung up the phone before he could hear Rose's reaction to his comment. He was now sort of regretting the joke as he did not know if they were in the 'making suggestive jokes' stage yet like they used to be when they traveled through time and space with Jack. Though those jokes had mostly been about dancing.

* * *

The Duke of Manhattan was very happy. The evidence could be heard throughout the Ward in the form of his jovial voice. The Doctor confused as to what the Duke had to be happy about, walked over to have a look. There the Duke and his aid were celebrating with what looked like champagne.

"Didn't think I was going to make it. It's that man again! He's my good luck charm. Come in. Don't be shy." Beamed the Duke of Manhattan. He had noticed the Doctor and was more than happy to see him again.

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract." Hissed Clovis to the Doctor, ever the protector of her boss and his reputation. This woman was either really good at her job or needed a holiday. The Doctor briefly wondered if there was some past history between the two beyond professionalism, but dismissed it as not worth looking into, when a greater mystery was afoot. How was this man still alive?

"Winch me up. Up! Look at me. No sign of infection." Smiled the Duke to Clovis and the Doctor as the Duke's butler offered champagne to the Doctor. The Doctor politely declined and asked in disbelief,

"You had Petrifold Regression, right?" The Doctor was sure that there must have been some misdiagnosis for this man to be alive.

"That being the operative word. Past tense. Completely cured." Smirked the Duke. That just wasn't right, thought the Doctor and voiced it out loud,

"But that's impossible." Declared the Doctor. The conversation had been over heard by one of the other cat nuns and amused by the brown haired man's confusion the older cat nun nurse, stated to him,

"Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science." She then smiled just as normal as anything, but the Doctor was not buying this answer. He knew that the medical tech did not exist yet to cure that man, but there he was. Cured! He had never been so floored before. He was on top of every medical advancement. He was the Doctor! Very apprehensive, he asked with a hint of suspicion,

"How on Earth did you cure him?" The old cat nun just smirked and jokingly said,

"How on New Earth, you might say." The Doctor was not amused by the joke and brought his attention to the colorful liquids that the Duke was having pumped into his system. The Doctor inquired as to what these miracle solutions were, but the cat nun simply stated that they were a 'simple remedy. Simple, his time lord toes. A simple remedy is putting witch-hazel on bug bites, or aloe on a sun burn. A solution that treated a genetically altering disease was, by definition, not simple.

"Then tell me what it is." Asked the Doctor, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. Not liking the man's constant questions she changed the subject and said with a calculating look,

"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp."

"I'm the Doctor." Said the Doctor plainly with no lack of confidence.

"I think you'll find that we're the doctors here." Said Casp in a voice, pardon the term when subject was a cat, sounded almost like a hiss. The confrontation was interrupted when the Cat nurse, Jatt, approached the pair and said to the Matron,

"Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care." Casp excused herself and the Doctor politely nodded and smiled as she left. Good, the Doctor had some science to do.

* * *

"This Doctor man is dangerous." Warned Chip to his mistress.

"Dangerous and clever. I might need a mind like his." Stated Cassandra who was busy making herself look as seductive as possible. Her surface memories from Rose told her that there was enough sexual tension between Rose and the Doctor that with the right batting of the eyes, she could make the Doctor do anything she wanted. Though she knew that they had not been intimate in the amount of time she had access to, she was confident that even with this body, that she did the best to spruce up with next to nothing; she could seduce the Doctor to do her bidding. Her hair was looking beyond good, the makeup that Chip had stolen for her complimented her canvas that was Rose's face, and her breasts were as pushed up and showing as they could be. The lipstick screamed come hither. She was the image of sexy promiscuous seducer. Something else also gave her confidence that she would succeed.

"And this is perfect. I have two hostages now. And only one I'm willing to give up, one way or another, if it comes to it. Even if he finds me out I still can get away. But that road when we get to it. The Sisterhood is up to something. Remember that Old Earth saying, never trust a Nun? Never trust a Nurse. And never trust a cat." Smirked Cassandra who then went over to Chip and asked for her tiny bottle of Perfume, which she then tucked down her décolletage to hide from view. Cassandra had to admit that she was enjoying herself a bit too much over this. She had not been at the game of seduction for centuries. With purpose Chip and Cassandra then made their way to the Doctor.

* * *

Cassandra and Chip were now on Ward 26, and Chip was under instructions to do what he did best, slink around and not be seen. He was to follow her but to make sure that he was not seen. Nodding his head, he hid in a maintenance closet and waited patiently for his mistress to pass him when she came out of the Ward with the Doctor. Cassandra then turned the corner and spotted the Doctor, she felt adrenaline run through her veins and it excited and scared her. She made a last brush of her hair with her hands and then stuck out her chest as far as it would go. The Doctor was going round all the cubicles and he passed one patient who was floating in midair before spotting her. He smiled and Cassandra nervously did the same. She realized that she had no idea as to what was a regular greeting between the two of them and decided to just wing it.

"There you are. Where have you been, Mrs. Smith? Now come and look at this patient." Said the Doctor with rabid speed as he pulled Cassandra's stolen body by the arm to look at a red skinned man floating in the air.

"Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced." Noted the Doctor with undisguised amazement. Cassandra barely had time to look at the patient before the Doctor was pulling her to another bed with a patient as white as the bed gown he wore.

"And this one. Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this." Declared the Doctor as he started to pull Cassandra towards the end of the Ward,

"Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?" Questioned the Doctor with great suspicion. Cassandra was glad that the Doctor seemed to be on the same page, now if she could only get him to stop yapping and start moving. The Doctor talked too much for her taste.

"I can't Adam and Eve it." Declared Cassandra a bit annoyed in a too heavy cockney accent she had improvised. Something was off about Rose, thought the Doctor. Joking around was fine before but she knew that they were in business mode now. Why was she talking so funny still? He thought that was just phone talk before and she was still doing it.

"What's, what's. What's with the voice?" Asked the Doctor wondering why his wife was talking so funny.

"Oh, I don't know. Just larking about. New Earth, new me." Said Cassandra with Rose's lips, trying to deflect his questions and as she began to admire the Doctor. She began to show off her assets some more and the Doctor couldn't help but let his eyes trail down to her very open blouse and décolletage. Feeling a combination of embarrassment, and shame he looked back up at her eyes. And quickly wiped the smile that seeing Rose's décolletage had put on him. Rose had not given him permission to ogle her again yet. He was not going to make the primitive assumption that just because Rose was dressing a little differently from what he thought was usual for her, meant that she was asking to be ogled. Wanting to make conversation and distract Rose from what he had unconsciously done the Doctor thought to turn to comedy.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." Grinned the Doctor to his wife. Cassandra now having had a chance to fully look at this new new Doctor had to admit that he was very easy on the eyes. She had not had real human hormones or pheromones running through her in centuries and she had an itch now that needed scratching. Cassandra was finding herself overcome by these chemically induced feelings that she was out of practice controlling. She looked at the Doctor's lips, those perfect lips and she felt her stomach clench in a way she had almost forgotten. She wanted to, no needed to give this body a try at kissing him. It would not only scratch her itch, but if she knew men, stop him from asking anymore questions for a while. At least long enough for her to use that mind of his to help her.

"Mmm, aren't you just." She purred before roughly grabbing the Doctor by his head and kissing him, long and hard. All the while gyrating her hips against his pelvic bone. The Doctor was shocked and embarrassed at how fast he had become excited. Even though such a thing was ridiculous to be embarrassed about around your own wife. Maybe his anxiety was more from the place and timing too.

Him as this Doctor and this body it was all new and untested. He had had much better control as his former self. If he and Rose did go there later, would he even be any good? He worried that Rose had felt the evidence of his excitement when she had brushed repeatedly against him, even though he was sure that was what she had wanted to feel. Who he thought was Rose finally released him from her grip and breathlessly looked at his swollen lips before walking away pointing.

"Terminal's this way. Phew." Said Cassandra breathily and obviously impressed by the kiss, even if the Doctor didn't feel he had done anything particular at first to deserve it. Perhaps he did not know his own strength he thought as he watched Rose swaying her hips as she walked toward the terminal.

The Doctor stood there dumbfounded. Then the happy thought finally clicked in his head. This was good, this was very very good. Rose Tyler Smith had kissed him. Nay, all out snogged him right in the hallway of Ward 26. That had not only been his first kiss in this body, it had also been the first time that Rose had kissed him again since he changed. He was relieved that Rose felt comfortable enough with him again. And it was still fantastic, brilliant, molto bene! It looked like he could still get Rose's blood to boil for him. And he wasn't even trying that time. Slicking his hair back with one hand the Doctor quite cockily though a bit higher pitched as he was still very excited said,

"Yep, still got it." He then followed Rose pretending that he was not staring at Rose's behind as she swayed her hips a bit more than was necessary, but he sure wasn't going to complain.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Cassandra you evil body snatching bovine! So what did you think guys? Oh yeah before I forget again. Sometimes people asked me questions and I can't answer them because they are under a guest account. But if you anonymous folks want answers to your questions then you could ask me on my tumblr, the-plot-thinens. I'll also be posting status updates there too.


	8. Chapter 8 -Intensive Care

**Complications**

by The Plot Thinens

**Chapter 08 – Intensive Care  
**

* * *

The Doctor was standing at the computer terminal, by the lift with the woman who appeared to be his wife. He was looking about for any way to find a clue as to what was the great secret behind the miracles cures that the cat nuns used to heal their patients. There was only one thing different. Rose seemed to be very up on what he was doing and very interested in it. Rose was an intelligent woman who could come up with brilliant plans under stress, but as far as futuristic tech, she was content to bow out and let the Doctor handle it. She would usually be close to him, but not as fully immersed or helpful as she was being with a computer billions of years ahead of her time. The Doctor now growing frustrated from his lack of results declared,

"Nope, nothing odd. Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry, prenatal... No sign of a shop. They should have a shop. What happens if you want to get a balloon for a baby or your Grandmum last minute?" Cassandra was growing frustrated too. She wanted to get to the bottom of this probably more than the Doctor did. She was also frustrated with his constant breaks to see if he had actually spotted a shop to shop in somewhere in this hospital. What was his mad obsession with this shop that clearly did not exist? Trying to get him back on task Cassandra looked over the maps on the screen and said,

"No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?" The Doctor was amazed by how Rose always seemed to catch things he didn't that were usually more domestic than he could be bothered to notice. But something just seemed off about their chemistry today. Still a good point on where to search and he would say as so.

"You're right. Well done." Complimented the Doctor, quite pleased with Rose's sleuthing.

"Why would they hide a whole department? It's got to be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame." It was then that the Doctor suspected that something was very off about Rose.

"What if the sub-frame's locked?" Asked the Doctor testing her.

"Try the installation protocol." Said 'Rose' to the Doctor as if it were obvious. The Doctor was stunned by this. Had more than he thought rubbed off of Rose in her travels with him? He was becoming suspicious that something was the matter. It was probably best just to not worry Rose about it and keep on as if nothing was the matter until he had a better idea of what really was the matter with her.

"Yeah. Of course. Sorry. Hold on." Said the Doctor not believing that he could possibly be getting tech advice from a human billions of years removed from their own tech. He used the sonic screwdriver on the interface, only to be surprised when the whole wall slid down to reveal a darkened corridor.

"Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive." Noted the Doctor as he followed Rose down the corridor. She was being quite bold, she was jeopardy friendly, but she usually let him lead into unfamiliar territory since he was usually more knowledgeable. He thought it might be a bit reckless too considering that Rose had made a big deal of them traveling to safer planets for the meantime. His anxiety was palpable and he could even sense a bit now from another location. The baby he realized was feeling anxious and he wondered if his worry was feeding off that. Why was the baby upset? Its mind was not developed enough yet to hold a conversation. The best he could get were emotions. Maybe Rose was actually more scared than she was letting on and the baby was picking up on that and hence him. Telepathic parenthood always added a new element of difficulty to parenting. Was Rose worried that the Doctor would be bored with them taking fewer risks that Rose was being bolder to show that she had not lost her adventuring spirit? That wasn't necessary; Traveling with Rose would never be boring. Now that the pheromones that Rose had been dumping on his senses had cut off suddenly. He was sensing a feeling of dread or anguish. Was that from the baby? No, it was something else and he had a very bad feeling about this corridor.

"Rose, if you are scared…Its fine for you to be. You don't have to prove anything. I'm happy traveling with you anytime, anywhere, for any reason. I'm not upset with taking precautions for the baby's sake." Assured the Doctor as he followed the oddly behaving Rose down the dark corridor. What the Doctor and Cassandra did not realize was that their actions had been noticed by Novice Hame.

* * *

Rose led the way down a good old-fashioned staircase of the ICU with purpose. Purpose that was foreign to the Doctor and Rose's normal characteristics of looking around and absorbing everything. Cassandra was not approaching this situation as the Doctor was. She knew and expected to find dirt on the cat nuns. The Doctor did not know what to expect from the path they were walking. The scale of the place was amazing. The whole place was lined with cells, thousands of them. These cells reminded the Doctor eerily a bit of the Tomb of the Cybermen that he had discovered many years ago back when he was obsessed with playing an recorder. The Doctor very curious as to what was inside the cells, took out his sonic screwdriver and opened one at random. Inside, to his horror and pity, was a very sick looking man. He had never seen a person so ill before, there was literally nothing healthy about him. The Doctor was surprised that he wasn't dead already with such an infection. Cassandra was as equally taken aback with emotion, but not that of compassion or pity. She was revolted by the sight and covered her mouth as if it would help prevent her from catching whatever it was the man had.

"That's disgusting. What's wrong with him?" She asked the Doctor, not having the foggiest idea of what ailed the man and revulsion in her pretty voice. The Doctor did not let his eyes leave that of the man and before closing the door said with the deepest regret,

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." There was nothing he could do to help the person. All he could do was keep the illness from spreading by closing the man's cell. Now very curious as to the nature of this facility and hoping that his worst suspicions were incorrect, The Doctor moved on to the next cell, it too contains a sick person, but this time it was a young woman. Cassandra for some reason found the sight of the sick woman more disturbing and questioned what disease it was that the woman had? Grimly the Doctor replied,

"All of them. Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."

"What about us? Are we safe?" Questioned Cassandra very worried for herself and clearly forgetting who she was pretending to be.

"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them." Explained the Doctor as he closed the door on the poor woman inside. The full magnitude of what was going on in this supposed hospital was weighing in on the Doctor so hard he felt that it might crush him. As he looked out among the sea of green cells, each holding a sick being inside, he knew what the fate of these poor souls was and how they had come to be this way.

"How many patients are there?" Asked Cassandra as she maneuvered her stolen body near the guardrails to look at the seemingly never ending structure of cells.

"They're not patients." Spat the Doctor as he tightened his grip on the guardrail and felt the Oncoming Storm rising to the surface. That made no sense to Cassandra. If they were not patients then way would they be here?

"But they're sick." She noted.

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm." Roared the Doctor, his anger knowing no bounds and Cassandra had to fight the urge to shrink away from him, less she be swallowed up by the sea of his wrath. The Doctor began to walk away from her and she followed.

"Why don't they just die?" Asked Cassandra of the all knowing Doctor, she almost cared, but only so that she could exploit whatever dirt they could find on this place. If they had every disease then there was no way that they could survive that very long.

"Plague carriers. The last to go." Declared the Doctor as he looked into another cell through the glass at the suffering and weak being inside. His brooding thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice of Nurse Hame,

"It's for the greater cause." She explained in a gentle voice that only turned the Doctor's stomach. And he had thought that she was such a good person. That she was compliant with this was an abomination.

"Novice Hame, when you took your vows, did you agree to this?" He demanded of the Nun, who simply replied that the Sisterhood had sworn to help.

"What, by killing?" Growled the Doctor. Hame saw this as merely a misunderstanding on the Doctor's part and that if she could explain to him he would understand.

"But they're not real people. They're specially grown. They have no proper existence." She said to the two beings in front of her. The Doctor wasn't buying this, these people were people and they were alive.

"What's the turnover, hmm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years? How many!" Thundered the Doctor wanting to know what was the death toll of this genocide of people. Cassandra was eating all of this up. She had more blackmail of the Sisterhood than she could possibly have hope for, thanks to the Doctor. She might even kiss the man later before she ran off with her spoils. Again Hame was upset by the Doctor's tone but had to explain how they were justified.

"Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh." Said Hame softly.

"These people are alive." Hissed the Doctor his mind spun with a million ideas of what to do to right this situation somehow and seek justice…or revenge for the people these supposed Nuns and nurses had wronged.

"But think of those Humans out there, healthy and happy, because of us." Smiled Hame, clearly a believer that the ends justify the means. Realizing that he was not getting through to the diluted cat nurse, the Doctor came to the conclusion for her,

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless." He rumbled. Hame was now upset by the Doctor's conduct. He was trying to lord over her like a God. The Doctor was just a man, flawed and able to misunderstand. This had to be cultural. The Doctor had to be from some lesser evolved group of beings if he could not see what good the Sisterhood was doing in the name of medicine.

"But who are you to decide that?" she asked of the Doctor. The Doctor would have laughed at the little minded cat, if he were not already so furious. Who was he? He was the Doctor, he was a Time Lord and much as the game warden watched over a preserve, so did he over the universe. He was the ultimate judge of fairness and as a member of the oldest species in the universe, it was his job to protect the innocent from those that would or do prey on them. He was the highest authority.

"I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me." He roared. The tense mood was then interrupted by Cassandra, who being anything but emotionally invested in the situation of conflicting ideologies over what was a person, questioned the nun,

"Just to confirm. None of the humans in the city actually know about this?" Hame dutifully answered,

"We thought it best not." This was every red flag available to the Doctor. His wife had clearly shown not only a disinterest up to this point in the suffering of others but an all out complete disregard. Rose would have been roaring right along with him. Yet here she was talking about this situation as if they were having a discussion about the weather over tea. What had happened to his wife while he was gone? Or more specifically, what had these cats done to her? If they had done anything to her that was not reversible then no God or Goddess could they pray to would save them from him. Had Rose discovered something earlier and they had done this to her, in hopes to silence her somehow? Had the baby been injured somehow and that was what was distressing her? He would have his answers now.

"Hold on. I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Rose?" Demanded the Doctor. Hame answered truthfully that she did not know what the Doctor meant. The man was starting to make her even more nervous than before.

"And I'm being very, very calm. You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to my wife's head, I want it reversed. She is pregnant with a telepathic child and any damaged done to her head is as detrimental to our daughter's mind! So cut act and reverse it now!" Ordered the Doctor, as Cassandra looked a bit nervously on, but Hame insisted that they had done nothing to her.

"I'm perfectly fine." Assured Cassandra, but the Doctor was not convinced and said the most obvious clue that Rose was not acting like Rose.

"These people are dying, and my Rose would care." Declared the Doctor. Cassandra now knew that the jig was up and decided that now that she had all the information she need, it was the best time to loss the Doctor.

"Oh, all right, clever clogs." Said Cassandra as she rolled her eyes. She then stepped closer to the Doctor and grabbed his tie, pulling it out of his blazer.

"Smarty pants. Lady-killer." She whispered seductively as she tightened his tie a bit. She was so close that she could have kissed him if she wanted. The Doctor looked at his wife, or who he thought was his wife, trying to size up what he was facing.

"What's happened to you?" Asked the Doctor with suspicion on his voice as he assessed what it was he was looking at. Rose was not acting anything like herself. It was as if she were another person wearing a Rose costume. If it wasn't for the presence of his child's upset mind, he would have suspected that it was just that. A disguise. Cassandra looked the Doctor up and down, keeping her eyes fixed on the lower half of him for a few moments longer than would be polite in mixed company. The Doctor actually felt uncomfortable as Cassandra explained,

"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out." She then tugged on his tie so that they pressed up against each other, under different circumstance being handled by Rose in such a matter might have got him excited, but his concern eclipsed anything else. The Doctor being the very model of control questioned,

"Who are you?" Cassandra loving the chance to finally make herself known to her enemy, and getting to drop this whole Rose charade, leaned over the Doctor's so that she could whisper in a sensual voice into his ear,

"The last human." The Doctor looked incredulous and wanting to make sure that he was not mistaken, asked,

"Cassandra?" She then very quickly slipped the 'perfume' out of her shirt and squirted some into his face,

"Wake up and smell the perfume." The mist squirted up his nose, and the Time Lord promptly passed out on to the floor. Novice Hame was horrified and knelt down to help him,

"You've hurt him. I don't understand. I'll have to fetch Matron." Explained Hame, which was just what Cassandra wanted,

"You do that, because I want to see her. Now, run along. Sound the alarm!" Shouted Cassandra as she pulled on a power cable that set off the alarms to the facility. Hame began to run to her superiors, this was a very big problem that only they could solve.

* * *

Cassandra had Chip put the Doctor into a disused cell. As she watched him lay there, she thought that it was a shame to waste such a gorgeous body. If she were honest with herself, she would not have minded going for a ride on that body, since it have been an obviously very long time since she had the parts to do so. She wasn't against keeping enemies intimately close for a while when they looked that good. If he had not been so quick to discover her secret, she might have been able to convince him to let her have her way with him on one of the many beds in this hospital before she killed him. But the Doctor was the Doctor, he had found her out again, but this time it was him that was going to die.

* * *

The Doctor suddenly woke up and found himself inside one of the green cells sitting in a rather disgusting looking chair. He was a Time Lord and most knock out drugs were very quickly metabolized by this superior biology. He looked around some more and now very worried about his predicament, he demanded that he be let out.

"Aren't you lucky there was a spare? Standing room only." Hissed Cassandra on Rose's lips as she gloated at the Doctor through the locked green exoglass. It pained the Doctor to see his wife, no his whole family, being so utterly used and abused. The baby could sense his distress and he in turn could sense hers and yet again he was unable to offer comfort. Would his baby be alright? Was what Cassandra done to her even reversible? He could not comfort his child when thoughts like these dominated his head. He was furious as he was scared for Rose and the baby.

"You've stolen Rose's body." He hissed at Cassandra

"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor. And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about three minutes left. And once you're dead, Rosie is widow, revenge on you. That she likes you is an understatement. Enjoy.

"Just let my wife go, Cassandra. Your quarrel is with me, not Rose, not my daughter." Said the Doctor in a voice that was half demanding and half pleading. Cassandra was lapping up his misery despite the slight discomfort that she was feeling from her passenger. If she didn't detest pain so much, she might be tempted to give her stomach a few punches if it would settle the little parasite down.

"I will. I might even let her remember how you died when I do let her go. Just as soon as I've found someone younger, and less common, then I'll junk her with the waste along with the freak show in here. Sooner the better." Smirked Cassandra as she pointed to the place inside her where his child grew.

"Now hushaby. It's showtime." Grinned Cassandra to the, soon to be very dead, Doctor.

"Anything we can do to help?" Asked Jatt with apprehension on her voice as she observed the human woman before her. Cassandra did not have time to mess around. She had an execution to watch without interruption and a fortune to make.

"Straight to the point, Whiskers. I want money." Said Cassandra plainly. The was an impossible request to the two cats who, as if nothing was wrong, Casp explained,

"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only accept." Cassandra was not buying what they were selling and in an all confident voice, at her edge on the situation stated,

"The humans across the water pay you a fortune, and that's exactly what I need. A one-off payment, that's all I want. Oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall tell the city nothing of your institutional murder. Is that a deal?" Casp was not intimidated by the human and declined her demand. Jatt also seemed not to be at all concerned with the threats.

"I'd really advise you to think about this." Insisted Cassandra, but again Casp said that she had to decline giving her money.

"I'll tell them, and you've no way of stopping me. You're not exactly Nuns with Guns. You're not even armed." Mocked Cassandra. Casp was now done being patient with Cassandra and hissed,

"Who needs arms when we have claws? The old cat then brandished a larger pair of claws that she unsheathed from her fingers. Cassandra was intimidated at the thought of being clawed up and in a slightly nervous voice yelled to her servant Chip,

"Well, nice try. Chip? Plan B." Chip then proceeded to pull a lever that opened all the doors to the cells on that level. The Doctor having his chance jumped out of the cell and close behind him were a lot of dazed, diseased people staggering out of their cells as well.

"What've you done?" Demanded the Doctor, not seeing the logic in her plan. This was a risky means of escape to say the least.

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake them up. See you!" Said Cassandra as she tried to make a break for it, but the Doctor ran after her, all the while yelling to any uninfected person who would listen to him,

"Don't touch them! Whatever you do, don't touch!" The last he saw of the cats the sick people were advancing on them. The Doctor was racing Cassandra and he was gaining, but then all of a sudden the cell locks of the green cells that they were running along began to explode and blow off, one after the other. This obviously had frightened Cassandra who was now running quite ridiculously down the catwalk that they were on. On any other occasion the Doctor might have found such an unproductive and comically means of running seen in Rose as funny. But now was no laughing matter with his wife and child essentially being kidnapped and an infection that he probably was going to have to take care of later being on the loose. It was then that they all rounded a corner and were able to get a view of all hundreds of levels of cells in the facility. All of the locks on these cells had also been blown off and now it was not a small infection, it was a pandemic that the Doctor had on his hands. All of the people who probably had known nothing but the inside of their cells all their lives were out and exploring their surroundings in an infected mass.

"Oh, my God." Gasped Cassandra as she realized that it wasn't a small infection on their hands, it was the whole facility pouring out infected test subjects. And they were finding themselves surrounded. How had this happened? Chip was so scared that he practically clung to Cassandra's side. He very much resembled a terrified toy dog.

"What the hell have you done?" Shouted the Doctor accusingly at Cassandra as more infected people approached them. Cassandra was very frightened and honestly had no idea how things had escalated so quickly and rightly shouted back,

"It wasn't me."

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra. I belong to it! We've got to go down." Hissed the Doctor to Cassandra in dire warning as he gestured for them to move lower. Cassandra was petrified as she saw the infected reaching out their arms for them and not knowing what to do replied,

"But there's thousands of them!" She did not see how they were getting out of this and the defeatist in her was arguing the good of running away or where there was to run. The Doctor would like to think that he was calm, but he was anything but. He was terrified. Even his superior biology would not survive this if he was touched and Rose and his child certainly would not. Taking command of the situation as best as he could despite shaking with fear the Doctor pulled Cassandra out of her panicked state by once more pointing to the metal staircase next to them all and shouted,

"Run! Down! Down! Go down!" And they did just that narrowly missing the mass of disease approaching them. The three heard the PA system announce that the building was under quarantine. The Doctor was half relieved and frightened. For although that meant the sickness would not spread outside the hospital, it also meant that they had nowhere else to go. How long could they dodge infection and would the Time Lord be able to find a way to save not just his family and himself but the whole planet? He was really starting to wish that he had the TARDIS somewhere in the building that at least would be a safe place to hide until he could make his next plan. He normally succeeded thinking under duress, but he had never had something like this before as an incentive.

"Keep going! Go down!" Commanded the Doctor as he tried to think of a plan while keeping Rose's body safe.

* * *

They had reached as far down as they could go and wanting a way out Cassandra desperately raced to call a nearby lift. She pounded on the life controls, but the Doctor shouted,

"No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine. Nothing's moving." Driven by survival and not wanting to be scared and alone Cassandra yelled to her 'running mates' to follow her. She knew the basement area well and hoped that the exit she was thinking of would be clear. However, as she led the Doctor towards her lair they found themselves discovered by the infected. Cassandra and the Doctor had managed to run by the infected pouring into their corridor from another joining one, but Chip got cut off. More infected people came closer and Chip on the other side. There was no way to help him now.

"Don't let them touch you." Cried out the Doctor, concerned for the little man who had become separated from them, but Cassandra did not share his concern. She wanted to get out of here alive and saw it no different from leaving an expendable pet behind in a crisis.

"Leave him! He's just a clone thing. He's only got a half life. Come on!" Shouted Cassandra to the Doctor as she pulled his arm to follow her. She didn't need the Doctor falling behind as she was sure at this point she needed protection and it was obvious that the Doctor would protect her no matter what. At the very least he was worth one meat shield against the infected. She really probably should have thought this plan through.

"Mistress!" Cried Chip out to Cassandra, pained by separation and fear. The Doctor felt guilt at leaving him behind but he could not let Cassandra disappear with his wife's body,

"I'm sorry, I can't let her escape." He shouted passed the zombie like bodies converging on Chip. The Doctor left the sight of the creature racing after Rose's stolen body. He hoped that the strange creature would be alright, but he had to protect Rose and his child from not just Cassandra but infected people as well. Cassandra wouldn't ever be as invested at keeping Rose's body safe as he was.

* * *

Cassandra and the Doctor had made it back to her lair and had sealed the door behind them. No infected people would be coming through that way hopefully now. There was another exit that Cassandra knew of which she hoped would provide escape. She ran to the door and opened it only to discover more infected people behind it. Cassandra let out a shriek of alarm and slammed the door as hard as she could on the people, locking them out. She then ran to the Doctor.

"We're trapped! What am I going to do?" Shouted Cassandra to the Doctor in a panic, now that all their exits were blocked by deadly germ carriers. The Doctor had now collected himself. For the moment they were out of danger and now was the time to reassess priorities. Now that Rose's body was for the moment safe, the Doctor had tolerated Cassandra using it as a puppet wandering about in it for long enough. Cassandra had stolen and tried to make off with everything that he held dearest with exception of the TARDIS. Not only that but he had stolen a moment from him and Rose that he had hoped had finally come earlier. He had been elated that Rose was now ready to move forward with him, but now he knew that it was all a trick. He saw the bit of technology in the corner when they had entered and now he knew how Cassandra had done it. What Cassandra had done and was doing to Rose he would equate with rape and now his first kiss with Rose in this new body was tainted. There might have been some embarrassment in there too of how he was tricked by a kiss. He had to his shame overlooked everything out of place just for the sake of enjoying that kiss. He was furious and filled with anger, but not the regular shouting anger, the quiet, I'm looking at you like something I'm about to dissect anger. If Cassandra did not agree to leave Rose peacefully then he was more than content to extract her forcefully and painfully if necessary. There were many ways to get Cassandra out without hurting Rose, but that would take time, and he did not have that right now with their current predicament. It would be better if she left voluntarily at this point.

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body. That psychograft is banned on every civilized planet. You're compressing my wife to death." Hissed the Doctor to his wife's body snatcher and his child's abductor.

"But I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead. And besides I have a hostage, your bouncing baby whatever, and I do mean bouncing. Things been moving around now for a while and won't settle down. Makes me glad I never had kids of my own." Scoffed Cassandra as she dug again into Rose's surface memories for more information to put the Doctor on edge with. The Doctor was momentarily taken aback by the information that Cassandra had flippantly let out. The baby was moving, his daughter was moving around inside of Rose. Rose had no told him about that happening yet. He dived into the link he had with his child and indeed her mother's stressed state of mind, her body and his own mind were taking its toll on the child. She was confused and he tried to assure her that things were okay, but they were not. Cassandra had made them miss something wonderful as an expectant couple and his contempt for her raised yet another bar. 'Little one, I promise, everything will calm down soon. Daddy promises.' Were the thoughts the Doctor was trying to push to his daughter before Cassandra spoke again.

"I think that you're going to help me get out of this mess if you know what's good for…your daughter." Growled Cassandra as she made a punching gesture at her abdomen. Surface memories had revealed the sex of the child to Cassandra and she was betting this approach would put the Doctor back in line with her plans. Cassandra had made a very critical error. She had threatened the family of a being who had already once before lost everything. And she had done it more than once today. He had been distracted before, trying to keep Rose's body alive and out of harm's way, but now it was just the two of them in a locked room. He was a lion in a room with a rat. Those were Cassandra's odds against him. The oncoming storm began to seep out of the Doctor and the air almost became thick with the anger wafting off of the Time Lord. He held out his Sonic and pointed it at Cassandra. He had killed before and to protect his family against any threat, he would kill again. He began devising ways to extract Cassandra from Rose that would only cause harm to the invader of Rose's mind each idea more painful than the last if she did not abide his warning. He would give her one chance right now but only one.

"What happens to you is not my problem. But we do have a problem here. A very big big problem if you think that there is any way you come out on top in this situation. You can float as atoms in the air for all I care after threatening my family. Now let's make it clear. One thing very clear, you can't outsmart me. Even if you could run away from me, I will find you. And if you bring any harm to Rose or to my daughter, I will make you regret it in ways you cannot even imagine. There are things far worse than death in this universe and you will live through every moment of it for all eternity. Now, get out. Give her back to me." Snarled the Doctor with a cold and calculating look not unlike the looks he had given enemies back when he was his leather self. For a moment Cassandra was unnerved by his sudden dramatic change in persona, but then she remembered,

"I already outsmarted you once, you asked for it." Said Cassandra, all confidence. Cassandra then took a deep breath and blew energy out to the Doctor who unwillingly took it in. Realizing what was happening, the Doctor blocked off his mind to Cassandra leaving his body open to use but his large and dangerous part of his mind inaccessible.

"Blimey, my head. Where'd she go?" Said Rose, confused and wondering where she was and where her enemy, who had been in her head, went. The last thing Rose remembered seeing was Cassandra's skin stretched out on that trampoline behind her. Now it was empty, so where did she go? Thinking was hurting right now. Her head was killing her, but not a normal head ache. She felt like she had been squished in the backseat of a car, inside a small suitcase, and was now finally let out to stretch her mind's preverbal legs. Rose then once more felt what must be the light touch of the mind of her child in her own head. Rose was upset by the worry she felt in her child and Rose offered her baby comfort. This was enough to settle the baby's mind for the moment. Rose had yet to feel the baby move inside her. She had missed out on it while Cassandra had controlled her head. However, she had much bigger problems at the moment as she looked at her 'husband'.

"Oh, my. This is different." Remarked Cassandra in utter surprise as she felt what it was like to be inside the Doctor's very male body. She was overwhelmed by the sensations of fabric against new body part, product she would never have put in her hair and face, and the sensation of being so tall. Oxygen flowed so easily through her stolen body that it was euphoric.

"Cassandra?" Asked Rose, confused and wanting confirmation that Cassandra was inside her husband. God, she hoped not.

"Goodness me, I'm a man. Yum. So many parts. And hardly used, and not by you in recent memory. Well you didn't land yourself a virgin my dear, but damn near close to it." Hummed Cassandra as she tried out the rumble of her new male voice in her new male throat. She then felt the double beat in her chest where there was supposed to only be one.

"Oh, oh, two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!" Sang Cassandra and she thrust the Doctor's pelvis and chest in time to his hearts beats. That was enough for Rose.

"Get out of him." Ordered Rose, she didn't want her husband to be violated like she had just been. Cassandra had literally forced herself on him and was feeling him up and down. She had not even gotten to feel him up in that new body yet! An idea that she had been growing more comfortable with and that something that rhythms with witch was touching what was not hers.

"Oo, he's slim, and a little bit foxy. You've thought so too. I've been inside your head. You've been looking. You like the new look." Teased Cassandra. Rose turned her head partly in embarrassment of something so intimate being said about her. She wished that it was the Doctor speaking to her teasingly about intimate things and not Cassandra. But any embarrassment was about to be over shadowed when Cassandra slid the Doctor's hips and bum with the Doctor's hands. Cassandra was wondering if she shouldn't just run off with the Doctor's body, it certainly felt like the better deal to Rose's commoner body. That filled Rose with rage and Rose was ready to shout that 'no one felt up her husband, but her,' when the diseased people burst in through the now unlocked door. Dropping her confident attitude immediately and yelped to Rose,

"What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor, what the hell would he do?" Rose could see sickly looking people were limping closer. Rose wasn't sure what was the issue with these people, but judging from Cassandra's reaction they did not want to be caught by them. If they were a danger and the Doctor was out of the picture for the moment then that meant that now it was up to her to keep her family safe. Rose looked about and spotted the elevator maintenance ladder toward the back of the room.

"Ladder. We've got to get up." Shouted Rose as she gestured toward the ladder. Cassandra spotted said ladder.

"Out of the way, blondie!" Shouted Cassandra in the Doctor's body as she roughly shoved the pregnant woman aside to save herself. Rose nearly fell onto the floor, but seeing that the infected were getting closer she managed to catch herself and run for the ladder. She got up it in time to avoid the rush of bodies of the infected and thanked God that she was not yet too big to slow herself down too much. She had read that pregnant woman should and could be just as active as if they were not pregnant and boy was she testing that to the limit now.

'Legs don't fail us now!' Thought Rose as she high tailed it up the ladder to hopeful safety. She was not going to let Cassandra literally run off with her husband!

* * *

Rose had to hand it to Cassandra that when she was scared, she could really move. If not for the situation and circumstances, she might have enjoyed the view, but just the thought that it was really Cassandra ruined any thoughts like that. She just focused on the task at hand and hoped that those infected people were in no state to climb up a ladder. They were really high up now and Rose had to remind herself not to look down. She was afraid that she might get dizzy if she did and fall off. She did not know what to do and they needed the Doctor if there was any hope for anyone to get out alive.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Suggested Rose to the panicked Cassandra. Cassandra was in no mood to listen to the chavy woman below her.

"Yap, yap, yap. God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone city. If you're not thinking about the parasite than your mind is on the Doctor."

"We're going to die if…" Said Rose trying to reason with Cassandra to leave the Doctor's body, but then Rose felt a tug at her boot. She was tugged so hard that she really had to tighten her grip or she would fall off. For a terrified moment she was afraid that she might have been grabbed by the infected, but she looked down and saw that it was some cat nun grabbing on to her ankle. The Cat nun looked very angry and Rose demanded that she get off of her. Casp did not know that Rose had been earlier being used as a puppet by Cassandra, all she saw was pink and yellow devil woman who had ruined her life's work and legacy.

"All our good work. All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything." Hissed the Cat nun, Casp. Cassandra had no sympathy for the deluded cat and condescended,

"Go and play with a ball of string." Casp continued to rant,

"Everywhere, disease. This is the human world. Sickness!" Just then a diseased arm reached up and grasped Casp's ankle. Apparently the infected could climb and had managed to catch up with the three. As Casp was touched the sickness spread to her and not being able to hold on to the ladder anymore fell screaming to her death. Rose now had a clear idea as to what was the danger presented by these people. They touch you, you break out into disease instantly, and then you die! Well that was not happening to her baby or herself!

"Move!" Shouted Rose, knowing that they would be next if they did not hurry up the ladder. Cassandra shrieked and doubled her efforts up the ladder. Rose and Cassandra reached as far as they could climb and much to their horror found that the elevator door that they were next to was tightly shut closed.

"Now what do we do?" Demanded Cassandra in fear as she saw the infected getting closer up the ladder, whispering 'help us'. Running away from people in need of help was not what Rose would normally feel compelled to do, but Rose had more than her own life to worry about. She had her family to watch after and if she died by sticking around she would not be able to help anyone.

"Use the sonic screwdriver." Said Rose as she clung to the ladder. She was glad at least that they did not have to do anymore climbing, she was getting tired.

"You mean this thing?" Cassandra asked as she pulled it out of the Doctor's pocket as if it were covered in muck.

"Yes, I mean that thing." Shouted Rose exasperated with Cassandra.

"Well, I don't know how. That Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts." Complained Cassandra to Rose. Rose was at her wits end and sending feelings of love, reassurance and apology to her daughter first, Rose commanded,

"Cassandra, go back into me. The Doctor can open it. Do it!" It seemed like the most reasonable solution and Cassandra was amiable to the idea of not dying.

"Hold on tight." She warned as she transferred back to Rose. It was an exhausting process and letting out a tired gasp Cassandra, now back inside Rose, groaned,

"Oh, chavtastic again. Open it!" The Doctor saw that his wife was once more being controlled by Cassandra, unfortunately, he had not a clue what was going on yet and whatever the reason he wasn't going to cooperate until Rose was free.

"Not till you get out of her." Growled the Doctor as he pointed his Sonic Screwdriver at her.

"We need the Doctor." Pleaded Cassandra as she saw the infected inching closer.

"I order you to leave her." Roared the Doctor. Cassandra did the only thing she could do swap back again into the Doctor. Rose almost let go of the ladder as her muscles contracted from the swap, but she managed to hold on.

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout." Scolded Cassandra, now back in the Doctor's body. Rose was fed up with Cassandra. They needed that door opened, now!

"Cassandra, get out of him!" Shouted Rose, she thought that she had already told her to get out of the Doctor. This head jumping was confusing.

"But I can't go into you, he simply refuses. He's so rude." Whined Cassandra. Her efforts to find a happy medium in this situation were not working. For once Rose was telling her to jump into her body, but the Doctor was telling her to get the hell out of Rose's body. They were at an impasse.

"I don't care. Just do something." Roared Rose completely out of patience. Cassandra looked at the only possible option left, which was jumping into the mind of one of those infected patients below. She hoped there would be no ill effects to the disgusting thing she was about to do for her survival's sake.

"Oh, I am so going to regret this." She whined as Cassandra left the Doctor's body and transferred to the lead woman on the ladder below them. The second that Cassandra was aware of herself in her new stolen body, she screeched,

"Oh, sweet Lord. I look disgusting." Free of Cassandra, the Doctor quickly opened the lift door up and climbed in through it.

"Nice to have you back, love." Said the Doctor as he helped Rose into the door. The Doctor hoisted Rose up. With one hand he started to close the door with his sonic and in the other one tried to pull Rose into his arm when Cassandra growled,

"No, you don't," and shot her energy back into Rose before the lift doors close again. The force of the energy threw the Doctor and Rose back against the wall but fortunately the Doctor provided Rose with cushioning as they hit the floor. The Doctor sent a comforting wave to his distressed child and filled with anger at Cassandra climbed to his feet and shouted at Cassandra on the floor,

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" The Doctor expected her to be intimidated, but instead Cassandra was staring into space looking quite shocked and actually moved to sadness.

"Inside her head. They're so alone. They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched." Said Cassandra in stunned amazement of what these people were feeling and the horror of never being touched, loved, or even able to interact with others. Cassandra had many enemies, loved no one living but herself, and obviously rarely had company anymore, but even she had felt the love of a parent as a child. Even she at one point had had friends and lovers. She had had contact with others. These people never had and likely because of their condition, never would. It was tragic.

The Doctor was moved by Cassandra's realization, and just her being able to acknowledge this was amazing to him. That she could find it in her stolen heart to have empathy, to feel pity, to be sad for someone other than herself was astonishing. It even allowed the Doctor to feel obligated to reassure his enemy and offer a comforting hand, which he did. The Doctor put out his hand and Cassandra gratefully took it. The Doctor then helped her up. Banging could be heard on the lift door and they were on their way. Things could wait to be sorted out when they were no longer in danger.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I have no excuse for the late update other than life getting in the way but things have settled down for now. I took off some of the next chapter and added it in here to make it longer for your patience with my hectic life. So back to the story. Run for it Doctor and Rose! Some form of zombies are after you…again. Just like old times. Man, the Doctor and Rose are going to have a lot to discuss after this. What doth you think, dear Readers? And a few of you have written me on my tumblr, thanks so much for the feedback and compliments.


	9. Chapter 9- The Cure

**Complications**

By The Plot Thinens

**Chapter 09 – The Cure**

* * *

The Doctor used his Sonic to open the locked service door a little ways in front of them and they were now back in Ward 26. The Doctor could see the still sleeping form of the Face of Boe and the cat nurse that the Doctor held in the greatest contempt now, Hame. The sterile white walls and bright lights were a welcome change to the pair, but The Doctor and his companion did not enjoy it for long before they found themselves be charged at by a very angry Clovis brandishing a metal stand as a weapon. Obviously she was afraid that they were more of the infected, so the Doctor shouted,

"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look." The Doctor and Cassandra then proceeded to wave their arms and hands in the air in surrender. The woman was not convinced that they were harmless and Clovis barked back,

"Show me your skin." The Doctor and Cassandra did just that.

"Look, clean. Look, if we'd been touched, we'd be dead. So how's it going up here? What's the status?" Declared the Doctor, wanting some calmness to return so he could assess the situation. Clovis put down the stand and straightening her suit announced,

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine. If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad." This was a bad idea and would be a disaster for the health and safety of all the people of New New York. The Doctor insisted that Clovis could not do that because a forced entry would break the quarantine.

"I am not dying in here." Hissed Clovis to the Doctor.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There's ten million people in that city. They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!" Ordered the Doctor but Clovis was not listening.

"All right, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Rose, novice Hame, everyone!" Harped the Doctor as he ran past the Duke of Manhattan,

"Excuse me, your Grace." He chirped to the Duke and continued,

"Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" Ordered the Doctor as he ran about the room grabbing drip bags of miracle cures. The Doctor refused to acknowledge Cassandra in front of other people, he did not want Rose's body to be blamed for this nor did he want her mistaken for Cassandra. Cassandra did not seem to mind if the Doctor could save her and ran to aid him. Everyone grabs more drip bags while the Doctor soniced loose a device used to lower the Duke's bed up and down. He would need this for his plan. He then collected a long piece of heavy silk rope and started hanging the drip bags on the rope around his body as they were handed to him. Cassandra fastened the last one on him and the Doctor questioned,

"How's that? Will that do?" Cassandra looked perplexed and said that she didn't know. She didn't even know what he was talking about. Not even pausing to answer the Doctor raced for one of the closed lift doors and soniced it open.

"The lifts aren't working." Shouted Cassandra, not understanding how the Doctor could forget that if he was trying to make an escape. Undaunted the Doctor ran back against the wall opposite the lift and declared,

"Not moving. Different thing. Here we go." He then placed the sonic screwdriver between his teeth and runs.

"But you're not going to…" Questioned Cassandra, but before she could finish her questioning statement the Doctor had already leaped into the elevator shaft and grabbed on to the lift cable in the middle.

"What do you think you're doing?" Shouted Cassandra, convinced that the Doctor had gone barking mad.

"I'm going down! Come on!" Mumbled the Doctor with the Sonic in his mouth. He then attached the round piece of equipment he had swiped off the Duke's bed to the cable.

"Not in a million years." Declared Cassandra as she crossed her arms indignantly. She wasn't going to risk her new stolen body jumping to her death. The Doctor was not put off and using his famous charm and an eyebrow waggle he rasped,

"I need another pair of hands. What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little?" Cassandra was turned on but still not convinced. What did convince her was Clovis locking the ward door behind her and the infected approaching. Out of options Cassandra ran for the lift and jump on the Doctor's back. She then tightly wrapped her legs around him in a death grip. She was not letting go for anything. Now that she had jumped onto the Doctor, boy did the Doctor wish that it was Rose and not Cassandra on his back right now, but he had a job to do.

"You're completely mad. I can see why she loves you." Snarked Cassandra as the Doctor made the last adjustments to the device.

"Going down!" Announced the Doctor and the improvised wheel he had attached to the cable took them down the shaft, screaming all the way. Once they were close to the bottom the Doctor put on the brakes and they came to a gentle stop on top of the lift.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight." Said Cassandra as she got off the Doctor and straightened the shirt she was wearing. The Doctor, not wasting a second, pointed to a lever in the roof of the lift and ordered,

"Now, listen. When I say so, take hold of that lever." Cassandra tried to protest by reminding him that there was still a quarantine going on, but the Doctor silenced her by demanding,

"Hold that lever! I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit about medicine myself." The Doctor was not just a title and he was not planning on doing anything that would risk his family. The Doctor bit down on one of the plastic-like drip bags that held the miracle medicine. He then ripped the open a hole in the bag with his teeth and poured the contents into the lift's disinfectant tank. The Doctor did this several times until all of the colorful liquids had been mixed together. He had also tossed every bag over his shoulder causing them to land on Cassandra, lighting, but annoyingly in a manner that she was almost certain was intentional. It wasn't like she could step aside, not after the Doctor had frightened her into not moving an inch away from the lever.

"Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position. Hold onto it with everything you've got." Ordered the Doctor as he lifted a hatch on the lift's roof. And started to climb down inside of it. Cassandra looked on in confusion and asked incredulously,

"What about you?"

"I've got an appointment. The Doctor is in." Smirked the Time Lord as he dropped down. Once inside he opened the doors with his sonic screwdriver on to the lobby and there the diseased people were. Hearing the doors opened the sad, scared and desperately lonely beings turned to look and spotting the Doctor reach their arms out to him and approached in droves.

"I'm in here! Come on!" Beckoned the Doctor as loud as he could alarming Cassandra and convincing her that he had gone mad.

"Don't tell them." She hissed, Cassandra still needed the Doctor to get her out of this mess.

"Pull that lever!" Shouted the Doctor as all the diseased people in the lobby closed in on him. If Cassandra was not so afraid of the situation and being alone among these all but zombie people she might have had the mind to let his call go unanswered, but obediently she pulled.

"Come and get me. Come on! I'm in here! Come on!" Called out the Time Lord as the first stage of disinfection began.

"Hurry up! Come on!" Cheered the Doctor as he bounced up and down trying to make himself as enticing a target as possible for their attentions. The contents of the disinfectant tank began to pour onto the Doctor as the first of the infected people joined him under the spray. Cassandra tried her best to see what was going on below her but her angle while holding the lever was too far away from the hatch to see the Doctor, all she saw was water falling. She did not hear him screaming bloody murder over the spray of water so she had to assume that he was alive and not in any danger. What she did not realize was that The Doctor was curing all the infected. He had in his cleverness devised a skin to skin cure of the infected's ailments and now they were spreading the cure among their ranks.

"All they want to do is pass it on. Pass it on!" Shouted the Doctor as she watched the compassionate creatures holding each other to help cure their brethren of the thousands of ailments that plagued them their whole short lives.

"Pass on what? Pass on what?" Questioned Cassandra in a shout, as the Doctor's words were completely out of context to her, but he could have sworn that she had seen white robes of the infected from the slight corner of the inside of the lift that was visible from her angle. The Doctor was too excited and overjoyed for the quickly becoming uninfected people to hear Cassandra. The Doctor watched all of the signs of illness appear to melt away from his 'patients'. Now satisfied that it was safe to bring Rose's body down from its safe hiding place, the Doctor help Cassandra carefully down from the lift. Cassandra now knew that the Doctor had done something to neutralized the infected but had not yet seen what the Doctor had done to them. She assumed that he did what was the most logical.

"What did they pass on? Did you kill them? All of them?" She questioned as she looked nervously from the inside of the lift for signs of bodies on the floor ahead. The Doctor was so proud of his accomplishment that even such a callous remark could not shake his happy mood. He strode out of the lift proudly and he simply declared,

"No. That's your way of doing things. I'm the Doctor, and I cured them!" Cassandra saw many perfectly healthy looking people walking about hugging and she had to admit that she felt somewhat moved by the scene in front of her. Not only that but the Doctor was also participating and hugged a shy but obviously very loving woman. The Doctor with all the tender affection of a parent hugging their own child said,

"That's right. Hey, there we go, sweetheart." The Doctor then gestured to another one of her lab mates that looked like he could use a hug and encouraged,

"Go to him. Go on, that's it. That's it." The woman went off on her way and the Doctor jubilantly continued to survey the people he cured.

"It's a new sub-species, Cassandra. A brand new form of life. New humans! Look at them. Look! Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes, but completely, completely alive. You can't deny them, because you helped create them. The human race just keeps on going, keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!" Cheered the Doctor to Cassandra.

* * *

The Doctor had moved back up to Ward 26 to see if his friends had fared well now that the quarantine had been lifted. The Doctor was still wet and the watery squeaking of his trainers could be heard echoing the halls when NNYPD were not on the loudspeaker booming instructions to the patients and staff of the hospital.

"All staff will present themselves to the officers for immediate arrest. I repeat, immediate arrest. All new life forms will be catalogued and taken into care. All visitors to the hospital will be required to make a statement to the NNYPD." The Doctor heard as he watched a very cowed Novice Hame being escorted away by the police. The Doctor held no pity for her, but her face reminded him of why he was here in the first place.

"The Face of Boe!" shouted the Doctor as he raced to the tank that held his friend. The Face of Boe was now awake and looking around.

"You were supposed to be dying." Smirked the Doctor, happy that his friend appeared to be on the mend.  
The Doctor and Cassandra then heard and ancient but comforting voice not with their ears but in their minds,

"There are better things to do today. Dying can wait." Cassandra did not find the experience very comforting and condescended to say,

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face." The Face of Boe did not seem to be offended, but the Doctor was. It had been ages since he had a fully developed telepathic mind in his head to communicate with. He could have held the whole conversation in his mind with the Face of Boe, but it was rude to speak in a form of communication that one other person in the room could not understand.

"Shh!" Said the Doctor to Cassandra, he was not in the mood to deal with her cheek. He wanted very much to know what if anything that Boe had to disclose to him.

"I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew." Explained Boe to his ancient friend.

"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old." Smiled the Doctor with a very interested look. The Face of Boe acted as if such information was new to him and declared it impossible.

"Wouldn't it just. I got the impression there was something you wanted to tell me." Said the Doctor as he stooped down low to be at eye level with the Face of Boe. He got as close as he could to Boe as if the information was too secret to say in anything but hushed tones.

"A great secret." 'Whispered' Boe in confirmation.

"So the legend says." Stated the Doctor, very keen to hear.

"It can wait." Said the Face of Boe in a 'voice' almost teasing. The Doctor looked very disappointed and in a voice not unlike that of a disappointed child asked,

"Oh, does it have to?"

"We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day…" Explained Boe before beaming, tank and all, away from the room to who knows where. The Doctor had yet another mystery to ponder and declared before turning to Cassandra,

"That is enigmatic. That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic. And now for you." Cassandra was trying to look as unassuming as possible, most likely hoping against hope that the Doctor would simply forget that his wife was being possessed by an invading mind.

"But everything's happy. Everything's fine. Can't you just leave me?" She said in a begging but soothing voice. The Doctor was not swayed especially with his whole family at stake and said,

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." Cassandra knew that this was it for her and started bursting into tears that, if it had been Rose and not Casssandra, the Doctor would have felt obligated to wipe away from her face. Cassandra was afraid to die. She had no idea what happened after death, if anything at all, and unknown things scared her. She wanted to carry on living.

"I don't want to die." She sobbed, to which the Doctor replied that no one does.

"Help me." Begged Cassandra but there was nothing that the Doctor could do for her and said he could not. It was then that the voice of Chip was heard across the ward calling for his Mistress.

"Oh, you're alive." Declared Cassandra, surprisingly happily even to herself.

"I kept myself safe for you, mistress." Stated Chip seriously. All the gears in Cassandra's stolen head were turning and she realized that she had an alternative to death! And one that the Doctor could not object to, much at least.

"A body. And not just that, a volunteer." The Doctor realized what Cassandra was thinking and shouted,

"Don't you dare. He's got a life of his own." Chip however protested that,

"But I worship the mistress. I welcome her." The Doctor was not convinces and insisted that Cassandra could not, but the energy transfer to Chip had already taken place. The Doctor had just enough time to somewhat roughly catch his wife in his arms before she could fall to the ground on her stomach.

"Oh! You all right? Whoa! Okay?" Asked the Doctor as he had to catch Rose again because she was so unsteady on her feet. Not being able to help himself and acting on instinct to comfort, the Doctor, as Rose rested her head on his collar bone, kissed the side of her face.

"Yeah. Hello!" Smiled Rose both at being happy to see her husband and from receiving the tender sign of affection from the Time Lord.

"Hello. Welcome back." Beamed the Doctor right back to his bride, but the moment as usual was interrupted by an outside force. CassanChip had come up to the two and said quite loud as he/she looked over their hands,

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." The Doctor was irritated by the intrusion and Cassandra's continual taking of bodies that were not hers, so he barked,

"You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done." Cassandra reflected on this option and stated,

"Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat, but I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much. His heart is racing so…" She stopped and considered what was going on and she stated observantly,

"He's failing. I don't think he's going to last…" CassanChip then fell to her knees but was caught by both the Doctor and Rose.

"Are you all right?" Asked the Doctor with concern.

"I'm fine. I'm dying, but that's fine." Said Cassandra in a calm voice. It did not seem as scary as it would be to die especially not when she was not going alone. Chip would be there and the two would pass on together.

"I can take you to the city." Said the Doctor in a comforting voice.

"No, you won't. Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good." Said Cassandra in a voice that continued to be complacent with dying.

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do for you." Explained the Doctor as he and Rose led CassanChip to the TARDIS.

* * *

"Where would you like to die, Cassandra? I can take you to any time or place that you would like." Said the Doctor solemnly to the dying person as they walked through the TARDIS doors. Rose watched the Doctor and was amazed that he had so much compassion even for an enemy. He had changed quite a bit from his leather self, or maybe he had not changed at all. He had after all given Blon mercy. She smiled at the Doctor and he smiled back as Cassandra said in a somewhat whispering voice,

"I should like to go back to before all of this started. When I was younger and happy." CassanChip was cold and Rose noticed that she was shivering. Out of nowhere a cloak appeared on the jumpseat, when she was not looking it seemed. Smiling to the TARDIS, Rose put a cloak over CassanChip and sat her down.

"CassanChip saw her reflection in some bits of the TARDIS and realization coming to her she stated,

"I think I know the place." She told the Doctor the coordinates and settled down as she watched the Doctor do his dance of time around the console.

Rose on the other hand was not cold at all. All of the running around that her body had done had made her a bit tired and overheated. She mused that she would loved to get her hair off her neck and just has the cloak had come out of nowhere, so did a hair tie. Rose mentally thanked the TARDIS and tied up her hair.

* * *

The TARDIS materialized out of sight of a party inside a very fancy looking restaurant. Cassandra, before all of her surgeries, was playfully flirting and conversing with many other party goers. CassanChip walked outside the TARDIS along with Rose and saw herself young and happy.

"Thank you." She said to the Doctor and Rose. The Doctor slipped his hand into Rose's and said to CassanChip,

"Just go. And don't look back." To which Rose added,

"Good luck."

"And if you actually see them, you're shocked. But don't quote me on that. Oh, naughty. À bientôt!" Said Cassandra as she was flirting with a man who was leaving the party. CassanChip sheepishly walked up to her younger self and said,

"Excuse me, Lady Cassandra." Assuming that CassanChip was a servant Cassandra dismissingly but politely answered,

"I'm sorry, I don't need anything right now. I'm fine, thank you." CassanChip needed to say what she had to say and seeing that she had been mistaken for the staff declared,

"No, I just wanted to say you look beautiful." Cassandra appreciated the compliment, but from such an odd looking chap it was not needed. She really hoped that she was not being flirted with by such a person. Still it was nice and she in the most polite manner she could afford to a nonhuman said,

"Well, that's very kind, you strange little thing. Thank you very much."

"I mean it. You look so beautiful." Reaffirmed Cassanchip. Cassandra now could sense this person's sincerity and that they were not simply flirting but telling her what they felt was the honest truth. Touched Cassandra replied with a heartfelt, thank you, before CassanChip collapsed to the ground. Lady Cassandra cradled the being she did not know and demanded someone get help.

"Oh, my Lord. Are you all right? What is it? What's wrong? Someone get some help! Call a medic or something, quickly!"

"Who is he?" Questioned a nearby woman, but growing more distressed Cassandra stated as she rocked the poor creature,

"I don't know. He just came up to me. I don't even know his name. He just collapsed. I think he's dying. Someone do something! I've got you, sweetheart. It's all right. There you are. There you are, I've got you. It'll be all right. There, there, you poor little thing." Rose and the Doctor then left.

* * *

The Doctor placed the TARDIS into the vortex and led Rose to the sofa in the library. Both sat down and the Doctor ran his Sonic over Rose to make sure that both baby and Mother were doing fine. Once the Sonic had given the all clear, the Doctor placed his Sonic on the coffee table in front of the sofa, which already had two steaming cups of tea and some biscuits on it. The Doctor mentally thanked the TARDIS and took Rose's hand in his. Rubbing the top of her hand lovingly with his thumb she said,

"I'm sorry Rose, but when Cassandra had control of you…She kissed me and I was so taken back by the hope that you were finally ready to be intimate with me again, that I didn't realize that I was being tricked. I wanted you to kiss me so badly again, and that kiss was unknowingly forced on both of us." Rose considered her memories from the day and they were scattered at best.

"I don't remember it, Doctor." Said Rose in a disappointed voice. The Doctor looked at Rose sadly, but then Rose smiled at him,

"But I wish that I did. If only so I could remember, when I kiss you, what the inferior way to kiss you is." Rose then gave him her famous toothy tongue grin and the Doctor let out a breath of relief. She was not too upset.

"You do? I mean you would like to kiss me? Because I thought, that because I didn't look like how my last self looked… like John, that you wouldn't want to… That it was still just too different… I thought it would be a bit longer still until we got to that point." Rambled the Doctor nervously but hopeful.

"And I thought that since you changed you might not want to… the same as we… that we'd be close but not like we used to… but you can if you want to…kiss me that is. You're still you, right? You love me as much as you did then, yeah? Nothing has changed except what's superficial, yeah?" Said Rose shyly. The Doctor ran his hands through his hair.

"Well Rose, if the last me and I as I am now were two people, I would say that we both love you but we are not two people. I'm one person and I love you. I guess we still both are feeling our way around with this. But if you don't mind me kissing you, I don't mind you kissing me." Said the Doctor in a manner that almost reminded Rose of a nervous schoolboy. That an ancient being like the Doctor could be that way. Some things she guessed were timeless in love. Rose realized that she did want to kiss this man in front of her, this man who although he looked and acted differently was in every way her husband. Taking a deep breath and wetting her slightly dry lips with her tongue, Rose leaned in and kissed the Doctor's lips.  
It was different, but not good different or bad, just different.

The pressure on his lips was light but as the Doctor realized what was happening, he sighed out his relief and increased the pressure. No contest kissing the real Rose was better than with Cassandra as pilot any day. It wasn't too long until the kiss progressed to an all out snog. A few minutes more and Rose had to let go and take in air. The Doctor reluctantly let go of Rose only lingering his hand on her hip before sinking back into the sofa with his hands cradling the back of his head, quite happy. She looked at the Doctor whose eyes were slightly hooded and looking completely punch drunk on love. Rose giggled and decided that she liked that look on the Doctor before reaching over for her tea which was now cool enough to drink. She wasn't ready yet to go all the way with her Doctor just yet, but hopefully soon she would be.

"Doctor, I have something special to show you." Said Rose now having caught her breath more. The Doctor raised his eyebrows, then waggled both, and replied in a suggestive voice,

"Really, what might that be, hmm?" Rose blushed and then chucked a cushion at him playfully.

"Don't lose any time flirting, do you?" Laughed Rose, as she got up and extended a hand to the Doctor.

"Well now that I know that I'm allowed to again." Joked the Doctor as he took Rose's hand and got up.

"Yeah about that. Sorry for my part of any mixed signals, but I don't want there to be any secrets or misunderstandings between us from now on." Declared Rose as she led him out of the library.

* * *

"And on my part too, but what special thing could there possibly be on my own TARDIS that I have not already seen?" Asked the Doctor in genuine interest. Rose said nothing but led him down one of the many corridors of the TARDIS to a room that the Doctor had not seen before and this fascinated him. Rose turned the knob on the inviting wooden looking door and entered. The Doctor followed and gasped in astonishment. Rose had indeed brought him to see something he had not seen on the TARDIS before. He was now standing in what appeared to be the nursery of a room not unlike on might find on his home world of Gallifrey! Even the lighting was like it would have been on his planet. The only thing that betrayed the illusion was the various Earth bits of furniture and toys here and there, the Earth's solar system mobile over the blue bassinet, and a clearly Earth rocking chair. The Doctor did not know what to say. He was a mix of emotions happy, sad and bordering on devastation. He knew that Rose could not have had anything to do with the design choice. He had told her next to nothing about his heritage, so it had to be the TARDIS doing this. On one hand he understood the TARDIS' choice of wanting to include both the baby's planet heritages in the nursery, but on the other hand, a warning to soften the blow would have been nice. Trying to mask any mixed emotions the Doctor smiled at Rose and let himself get caught up in memories. There was even a balcony with a view of the Gallifreyan hillside which he knew was all just the workings of the TARDIS, but was almost enough to trick him. He knew the TARDIS wanted him to enjoy this, she could not take him to Gallifrey anymore but she could provide the best substitution.

"Isn't this great? The TARDIS made it for the baby. The balcony is new though. Oh Doctor, it's a lovely view, but funny the grass is red. Do you think she got a circuit loose or something and messed up green?" Asked Rose as she looked out onto what she did not know was an imitation of the Doctor's home world. The Doctor felt a ping of guilt for not having told Rose anything about himself or his planet beyond that there was a war. He now knew what the TARDIS was getting at. She wanted him to open up and share more with Rose. Talking about things sometimes helped and the TARDIS was obviously set on being his therapist. The Doctor played with the mobile of the bassinet for a moment and then walked up to Rose joining her on the balcony. The Doctor took in the crisp breeze of the Gallifreyan hillside and felt himself lost in memories. It was so close to the real thing, he could almost not tell the difference. Swallowing his grief as best he could the Doctor placed his arm around Rose and explained,

"No, that's right. On my planet the grass was red, the sky was orange like you see now. This view is not unlike one you might have had if we were on Gallifrey." Rose took in a gasp. She was not a fool and knew that this was obviously painful for him and hoping to get a handle on damage control she declared,

"I'm sorry, Doctor. We don't have to come in here again if you want. I didn't know, I just thought it was a pretty nursery the TARDIS made and I wanted to show you!" Rose was making for the door, but the Doctor stopped her and pulling her into a hug, gruffed,

"No Rose, don't feel sorry. This is a wonderful place for the baby. I was just not expecting this. I'm not going to let…my past…the baby is part Gallifreyan and its wonderful that she will still be able to experience it in some way. I want to share that not just with the baby but with you too. Except for maybe some of the formal wear… Anyway, as long as I have the two of you, I can get through this." Rose looked the Doctor in the eyes and saw the hurt in them, not unlike when they were blue, but there was also hope in them that things could get better. If only a little.

The day was quickly catching up on Rose and she found herself yawning and looking over to that four poster bed in the corner of the room. The villa like atmosphere if not for the subtext she was reading off the Doctor would be enough to put her to sleep standing. Rose looked at the Doctor and gestured to the inviting bed.

"Do you want to stay in here?" Rose asked him for confirmation that it was okay for her to sleep in here since she was finding herself very drained. The Doctor nodded and let out a more relaxed sigh, he could do this for his family. It would be painful and he was already planning a distraction for as soon as Rose's sleep cycle was over, but he would do it. He could spend a human sleep cycle in this room.

"Well since the TARDIS has already laid out pajamas, I guess it would be rude not to take a kip." He answered. Rose turned her head and saw that indeed her nightly affects were on the bed along with elegant sink-like basin to wash off the more make-up then usual on her face.

"Would be rude." Smiled Rose.

* * *

It wasn't long after that until Rose was peacefully but protectively sleeping next the Doctor in the four poster bed. The Doctor couldn't help but feel that Rose subconsciously wanted to protect him from his own demons that threatened to gobble him up from being in the room. Maybe one day he would tell Rose the full reason why his planet's death plagued him. She did seem to be relaxed otherwise. The bed was unusually comfortable, the room was not stifling at all and Rose he could tell was enjoying the sounds of nocturnal Gallifrey like it was a lullaby. He however was not enjoying it as much.

The Time Lord held on to Rose like she was his reality anchor that could shield him from any harm real or imaginary. The TARDIS had made it evening in the room now and he could hear and feel the breeze of Gallifrey like a ghost through the open window. He heard the night creatures of his planet, now all dead and gone, and Rassilion did he feel that he was the one that should be gone and not them. He worried that his emotions would swallow him whole, but that was when he felt it. His daughter's mind was reaching out and comforting him. He gasped maybe a bit too loud because Rose began to stir, but then snuggled back into place, her hand unconsciously rubbing her belly in her sleep. The Doctor realized that his child was sending out all the waves of comfort, love and understanding that she was capable of. At this stage she could not understand what was wrong, but she could feel what was wrong with her father. Mentally he thanked his child and was eternally grateful for her mind in his head that was pushing back all the demons and letting him just be. That was when he stopped seeing, at least for the moment, all that was wrong and bad and began focusing on all that was right and good with where he was. His daughter let him enjoy the current moment and the thought of teaching his child about her heritage. He was allowed to enjoy the sound of creatures and the feel of the breeze on his skin through the open balcony. He was allowed to inhale deeply the smells of Gallifrey. He was allowed to pretend that he was on his own property on Gallifrey, sharing a new life with his wife, Rose in their home, expecting their first child. He was allowed this night to do that. His mind felt at peace. He pulled Rose closer to him and as he slipped into a restful sleep, he dreamt of taking Rose among the hills in the morning, showing her his planet and making love among the red grass.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: YAY! The Doctor and Rose are snogging again! I think I deliver nice fluff. Tell me what ya think, gang. I love hearing from you and I appreciate it when you point out typos on my part. You know who you are, I did actually know that it was a recorder but for some reason I wrote something else. Silly me, but it had been corrected, thank you!


	10. Chapter 10- Tooth and Claw

**Complications **

By The Plot Thinens

**Chapter 10 –Tooth and Claw**

* * *

The Doctor awoke from his slumber to the feeling of Rose's golden hair on one side of his face and the imitation Gallifreyan morning light on the other half of his face. For only a split second was he fooled that he was back on his home planet with Rose and it was a wonderful second. But that feeling was over all too soon and the Doctor needed a distraction for his large mind while Rose still slept. He carefully slipped out of bed and pulled the covers over Rose.

'If only things could be this perfect.' Mourned the Doctor to himself before slipping out of the room. He didn't know if it was a relief or painful to be greeted with the distinct corridors of the TARDIS, a part of him half expect or rather desired to see the common room, more like grand hall of his family estate on Gallifrey. Straightening up he made his way to the kitchen to fix something to eat for himself and Rose. Rose would be awake soon and she would need food to eat or something to settle her stomach if she felt sick. The TARDIS, not too long later, informed him that Rose was being sick again, so the Doctor gave up any ideas for a complicated breakfast and settled on toast and bananas with some ginger tea.

* * *

Rose woke up in the nursery's four-poster bed and felt the 'sun' on her skin. She stretched; feeling completely relaxed and reached an arm out for the Doctor only to find that he was not there. Her disappointment did not last long as she found herself feeling sick and ran for the nearest door which she knew that the TARDIS would put a bathroom behind. Rose lost whatever was left in her stomach from the night before and after that started her morning routine.

"You know Mummy is going to remind you how much I threw up all for your sake when you're old enough." Rose half seriously said to her unborn child as she brushed her teeth to get the last of the sick from her mouth before showering. After she was done with her shower, Rose wrapped a bathrobe around her and then headed out to find the Doctor.

* * *

Rose walked into the kitchen and spotted the Doctor at the small table in the corner. He was impeccably dressed as ever and his hair was so delightfully held up with the right amount of product that she had to resist the urge to just start putting her hands through it. Later she would but for now she had to attend to the baby's needs, which meant Mummy had to eat something.

"Morning, honey… Well, you are sweet as honey to me. Do you like that, Rose?" Smiled the Doctor to Rose as he gestured for her to have a seat. Rose's pleased expression indicated that she did like it. Rose liked very much that the Doctor was using terms of endearment with her and reasoned that it was now unobjectionable for her to do the same. Though she could not think of a better term of endearment then, 'My Doctor', but there was always time to find more. Smiling at the thought, Rose sat down and took the mug of tea that the Doctor then offered her. It was ginger and although the medicine that the TARDIS provided for her worked wonders, she still didn't mind drinking something settling too. You could never have too much of a settled stomach, she reasoned. As soon as Rose had eaten her toast she looked to her Time Lord and very tentatively asked,

"You weren't there when I woke up. How was the night for you?" The Doctor smiled back though it was clear he still was a little uncomfortable about the nursery,

"Well first off there really isn't any night or day on the TARDIS. It was a little difficult but having you there, and yes even the baby's mind, helped." Smiled the Doctor as he placed a gentle hand on Rose's abdomen.

"We don't have to sleep there all the time. I was just too tired to walk back to our room even if the TARDIS put it behind the first door." Explained Rose as she placed her hand over the Doctors. The Doctor would not have Rose thinking that there was any place on the TARDIS that she should feel uneasy about and assured her that it was just a room like any other on the TARDIS.

"It's not like any other room, Doctor. It's a reminder of both our planets, a bit more on your side, but it's a lovely room. It's a marriage of both our planets and it's wonderful that the TARDIS is giving our little girl such a gift. Maybe The TARDIS is trying to help you address some of your issues from the war. I know that you won't get over everything overnight but I'll be here to help you through it all. And once the baby is born, we will be making so many happy memories in that room that it will be easier and easier to be in it." Assured Rose. The Doctor took Rose's hand and kissed her knuckles.

"How come you always know just what to say?" He asked in wonderment of the amazing person in front of him. Rose blushed a bit and she thought that they might snog again, but then the Doctor was up like a shot.

"Anyway, I've got a real treat in store for you today, Rose Tyler Smith. Follow me and I'll explain our latest destination on Air TARDIS. Well not really air, we aren't flying, but more like floating with a bit of swimming…" Rambled the Doctor as Rose followed closely behind while still in her bathrobe.

* * *

Upon Rose learning of their newest destination a fun trip to a historic concert in the 1970s, though he had not said which concert yet. Rose was excited none the less and wanted to get as close to looking ready for the part as she could. Unfortunately she wasn't sure what in the clothing she brought with her on the TARDIS would be suited for the trip, and most of her clothing was starting to be very tight around the middle. As luck would have it though without having to rely on the TARDIS's wardrobe she found a denim mini-dungarees outfit that still fit just fine. Though she couldn't decide if it hid her condition more or showed it off as the clothing was baggy enough.

"What do you think of this? Will it do?" Asked Rose of her husband as she showed off the outfit that made her look a little bit wild. Hopefully wild enough for the 1970s. She had partly dressed herself in their room and the rest in the console room and the Doctor had to fight off the urge to stare at her. The Doctor surveyed his pregnant wife from toe to head and he liked what he saw. He was also pleased that Rose felt comfortable enough with him again to be seen in all forms of dress in front of him. Well almost all forms, they had yet to parade in front of each other in their birthday suits yet. Now that he had thought of that he was actually hoping and excited that they might get to that point in their relationship again soon. He hoped that Rose liked his new body this way. He knew that she had to at least seen some of it when she had dressed him back at Christmas. The Time Lord thought it almost funny that he was insecure in everything about his body except his, um parts. Those he was sure Rose would like, call it a little arrogance, but there you have it. He looked at Rose again obviously she was ready to rock out and safely as an expectant mother could. The Doctor approved of the short outfit but teasingly declared,

"In the late 1970s? You'd be better off in a bin bag. Hold on, listen to this." The Doctor then pulled out a CD and placed it into the TARDIS console…Rose was not aware that the console had a CD player, but the more she thought about it, why would it not? The TARDIS made anything and had anything.

"Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979." Noted the Doctor as he stalked about the TARDIS showing off his Time Lord knowledge to impress his human bride.

"You're a punk." Smirked Rose as she admired the Time Lord from his great hair to his gorgeous bum.

"It's good to be a lunatic." Sang the Doctor with the music as he worked about the TARDIS controls. Rose regarded the man before her and realized that this taste in music he had would have had to have been gathered before they met. Bemused with the idea she pictured her first Doctor behaving in the same manner and listening to music like that which was playing now. Well that must have been before the war. She could not picture her Doctor doing that between when they met and the war. Maybe this was more like he was before hand and Rose was happy that the Doctor was coming out of his shell and sharing something as personal as music taste with her. She didn't want to give herself too much credit but she couldn't help but wonder if her being there for him through the rough times and now the prospect of their new family together had changed him for the better. Okay, she lied to herself, she wasn't giving herself a lot of credit and it gave her the courage to be more territorial with her claim to the man in front of her. And why shouldn't she feel a claim to him, he was her husband. Coyly she stalked him as he hit a ridiculous high note and Rose first winched and then laughed.

"That's what you are. A big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in." Grinned Rose as she came up behind the Doctor and pinched his behind and continued to stalk him somewhat seductively around the TARDIS console as he punched in coordinates staying just ever so enticingly out of her reach. The Doctor had looked at first surprised at the action from his bride, but then gave Rose a toothy grin similar to the one on her face.

"Would you like to see him?" Asked the Doctor as if it were nothing. Rose was taken aback by the statement.

"How'd you mean? In concert? Inquired Rose for clarity.

"What else is a TARDIS for? I can take you to the Battle of Trafalgar, the first anti-gravity Olympics, Caesar crossing the Rubicon or Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November, 1979. What do you think?" Bragged the Doctor oh so impressively to his wife. Originally he had wanted a distraction for himself, but now that Rose was before him with her hair that wild, he was pulling all the stops out to astonish her with his Time Lord abilities. If he were honest with himself what he wanted was to turn Rose on. He was the amazing alien with the best ride in all of time and space. He was hot, and he wanted Rose to want him. Which he was pretty sure, based on her grabby behavior, that she did.

"Sheffield it is." Stated Rose, excited for the concert. How many people got to see concerts long over, live? And not just a recording, actually be there when it happened. Just her and the Doctor it seemed. She traveled though all of time and space, but the idea of getting to go, see and do anything still had not sunk in yet. Maybe it never would. She guessed that she was looking at time travel as more of a history lesson of important events and people. Taking advantage of a time machine as a means to enjoy the more contemporary entertainments, like past famous concerts on Earth had not occurred to her. Now that you thought of it, why had it not? Music could be very important to changing history, but you could always re-experience music as long as there was a recording of it no matter the era. Seeing it as it was preformed for the first time live was another story. Too bad the Doctor had not told her until now, she might have taken her mother along to a Beatles or Elvis concert if she could stomach a trip in time. Maybe that was why he had not said anything until now, her husband had been more scared of her mother in his old form then he was now it seemed. The old him never did anything as domestic as Christmas dinner, guess her family had won him over a little. Was she now living with a semi-feral Time Lord now? Rose pondered to herself.

"Hold on tight." Warned the Doctor and Rose sat down on the jumpseat while gripping the seat tightly. The Doctor beat along with the rhythm of the song on the console with a mallet as they traveled through time and space. Rose had no idea if he was doing it for fun or if he actually was trying to repair something, but she could feel that the TARDIS did not like it.

"Stop!" Declared Rose, afraid that the Doctor would anger the TARDIS and as punishment might move their bed to the ceiling. She had done that once before when the Doctor wore leather and much to the Doctor's chagrin the TARDIS had pitched a tent on the ground where their bed should have been. Rose had spent that night in her old room, since she knew that the Doctor didn't sleep anyway. Literally she spent the night in her old room. The TARDIS had made her an exact replica of her bed room at her mother's flat. Clearly the TARDIS meant for her to 'stay at mom's' until the Doctor learned his lesson. At first Rose had apprehensive, but the TARDIS made it clear that this was just for tonight. Absence makes the heart grow fonder Rose thought as she tucked herself into bed. Besides she was very tired and a relaxing sleep in a familiar place without fear of her secret pregnancy being discovered took a mountain of stress off her.

What Rose didn't know was that the Doctor, that time especially, had been looking forward to their cuddling-ish time and was very much disappointed with his punishment from the TARDIS. Rose was brought back from her musing when the TARDIS came to a sudden stop and the Doctor was somewhat roughly, but not dangerously so, thrown on the floor. The two time travelers laughed as the Doctor picked himself off the floor.

'Serves you right.' Smirked Rose to herself as she got up. The Doctor grabbed his coat and after pulling his wife to her feet the Time Lord began to excitedly chatter as Rose helped him put on his coat.

"1979. Hell of a year. China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie. Love that film. Margaret Thatcher. Urgh. Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me. Nearly took off my thumb." Rambled on the Doctor to his wife as he exited the TARDIS.

"And I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached t…My thumb. " Trailed off the Doctor as he found himself looking at the business ends of late 19th century rifles and one pistol. No, not just one but several and they were pointed at his wife too. This was not good. They were surrounded by Redcoats with the officer in charge on a black horse looking down on them with intimidating stares.

"1879. Same difference." Noted the Doctor flippantly as he and Rose held up their hands in surrender. Rose was not happy that yet again they had managed to bumble their way into trouble. Well the coordinates on the TARDIS could have been wrong, and they could have been more careful to check. Well the Doctor could have at least, but they both were rather distracted when they were setting the destination.

"You will explain your presence. And the nakedness of this girl." Rose was about to note that she was a woman not a girl, but the Doctor had beat her to the next remark.

"Are we in Scotland?" Asked the Doctor jovially in a Scottish accent. This amused Rose to no end and if the circumstances were not what they were, she might have been finding her mind drifting to thoughts of the Doctor in a kilt and if he'd be a real Scotsman when he wore it.

"How can you be ignorant of that?" Demanded the officer in important looking military garbs.

"Oh, I'm, I'm dazed and confused. I've been chasing this…,er, me wee naked wife over hill and over dale. Very good at wandering off. Isn't that right, my timorous beastie?" Smirked the Doctor nervously. The armed guards looked incredulous at the idea that any respectable man would let his own wife wander about these hills in such a state of dress. The guards were more incline to believe that this man was covering up rather stupidly for an odd affair with a questionable woman. Or at least they would if not for the out of the way location they had been found. The middle of nowhere was an odd place to pick to have a love affair. If you wanted pleasurable company then you went to the seedy side of town. Or were they dropped here? Still if the otherwise skinny girl with him was a lady of ill repute then that made even less sense since it seemed that she might be pregnant. That was usually when many married men went looking for a mistress.

"Och, aye! I've been oot and aboot." Rose attempted to say in a really bad Scottish accent trying not to giggle despite the situation.

"No, don't do that." The Doctor warned his wife.

"Hoots mon." Replied Rose a bit indigently.

"No, really don't. Really." Warned the Doctor again this time more sternly.

"Will you identify yourself, sir?" Said the head soldier, but it was more a demand that asking when a gun was pointed at you.

"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. This here is Mrs. McCrimmon. I have my credentials, if I may." Said the Doctor in his Scottish accent as he got out his psychic paper.

"As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself. Please stop pointing a gun at my wife, yeah?" Declared the Doctor hoping the paper would save him some trouble and get the guns trained off them.

"Let them approach." Said the feminine voice of an older woman from the carriage behind the guards.

"I don't think that's wise, ma'am. They are an unusual lot and most likely not fit to be seen with you." Cautioned the head Soldier.

"Let them approach. I think I may decide who is worth being seen with." Said the female voice from the carriage, this time more firmly. The officer looked shaken by the reproach and realized that he had over stepped his authority. Regaining his composure, the man gestured to the two strangers in the direction of the carriage.

"You will approach the carriage, and show all due deference." Instructed the guard in all seriousness to the time traveling duo. The Doctor mock saluted the soldier and approached the carriage along with his wife. A footman then opened the door to the carriage to reveal the Imperial Widow herself, Queen Victoria.

"Rose, might I introduce her Majesty Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith." Beamed the Doctor with all the pomp and circumstance expected of addressing royalty.

"Rose Tyler Smith… McCrimmon, Ma'am. Smith that was my maiden name. Still getting used to it and my apologies for being so naked." Rose said a bit sheepishly in the presence of such a famous person from her country's own history, though to the Doctor it was just a fun novelty.

"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me. But you, Doctor. Show me these credentials." Remarked the Queen as she gestured to be handed the psychic paper. The Doctor did just that and the Queen looked it over with much surprise, but then very pleased.

"Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector." Declared the Queen as she handed the Doctor back his 'paper'. This the Doctor was not expecting, he was actually hoping to make a hasty return to the TARDIS and check Rose over for any ill effect of being held at gun point could do to an expectant mother. After that and some rest they then could finally get to 1979, where he meant to take her. True he was curious as to what the Queen was doing her in the middle of seemingly nowhere and he loved a good mystery, but Rose took priority. Still they were stuck playing the roles they were now and best to make the most of it. He could always run a sonic scan on Rose on the sly and now that the threat of having lead put into them was gone, things were much more pleasant. Still something must be up if the Queen felt that she needed more protection when she already had this many guards at her disposal.

"Does it? Yes, it does. Good. Good. Then let me ask - why is Your Majesty travelling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?" Said the Doctor slipping right into the role he was expected to play. Rose loved it when the Doctor was like this. No matter what face he had on or what he was wearing, he always managed to fit in seamlessly. His take charge attitude also made her feel protected and gave her the extra courage to boldly travel in Time and Space. She had to admit that if the Doctor did not seem worried, then she did not feel the reason to either. Rose was getting too good at reading him now for him to too easily mask concern. Other than the fact that he had obviously been upset that guns had been trained on her, he seemed to now be at relative ease. That being said, Rose was going to make the most of this trip, and have fun even if she wasn't dressed right for the time period.

"A tree on the line." Explained the Queen as she straightened up yet more.

"An accident?" The doctor questioned.

"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned." Noted the Queen. The Doctor nodded his head in understanding and questioned,

"An assassination attempt?"

"What, seriously? There's people out to kill you?" Asked Rose, a bit uncivil in her address, not believing that someone would try to kill or could be able to kill a British monarch. Rose was too much a product of her time and assassination attempts on British Royals seemed too set back in medieval times to be an issue in a more modern British time period.

"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun." Bragged the Queen to Rose. The Officer then remarked,

"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."

"This Doctor and his timorous beastie will come with us." Commanded the Queen. The officer looked a little annoyed by the Doctor's smug grin but rallied his men and obeyed.

"Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving - it's almost nightfall." Said the officer on horseback.

"Indeed. And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think. Drive on!" Stated the Queen as she commanded her caravan to move forward.

* * *

A half hour later the Doctor and Rose found themselves walking with the soldiers behind the carriage. Rose was actually enjoying the walk and although the Doctor had asked her if she was good to walk in her condition, Rose was having none of that. She was touched at his concern, but she was pregnant not infirm,

"I'm fine, Doctor. My ankles haven't even started to swell yet like you see on Tele. Let's wait until I look ready to pop and we'll maybe take it a little easy. What's good for me is good for the baby. A walk is just the exercise I need, look that castle I can see it already." Grinned Rose, a walk was not the most dangerous thing that could happen to her after all. The Doctor apologized; he did not want Rose thinking that he questioned her abilities. He just told her that he was concern.

"This whole human pregnancy thing is new to me too, Rose. Granted I have delivered babies before, but never really stuck around to see the whole process. Pregnancy was a novelty when you had looms on my planet." Said the Doctor a bit sheepish. Rose gave the Doctor a kiss on the cheek and the two held hands as they continued to follow the carriage. As Rose stared at the back of Queen Victoria's carriage, she began to mull over what the Queen and the Doctor had discussed earlier.

"It's funny though, because you say assassination and you just think of Kennedy and stuff. Not her." Remarked Rose as she pondered history. The Doctor took in a deep breath and rolled some numbers in his head as he said,

"1879? She's had, oh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else. We just met Queen Victoria!"

"I know!" Cheered Rose as she hugged the Doctor's arm.

"What a laugh!" Giggled the Doctor as Rose made a note that she was just sitting there.

"Like a stamp." Grinned the Doctor again as the two bantered back and forth in a puppy love-ish dialog.

"I want her to say we are not amused. I bet you five quid I can make her say it." Giggle Rose to her husband who was holding on to her hand. The terrain was a bit uneven and he did not want her falling down. Even though Rose had insisted that she wasn't that pregnant yet.

"Well, if I gambled on that, it'd be an abuse of my privileges of traveler in time." Declared the Doctor in a very noble voice.

"Ten quid and a snog on the jumpseat? Shot back Rose.

"Done." Replied the Doctor with a slight squeak in his voice.

* * *

The caravan finally reach the formidable looking manor known as Torchwood house to be greeted by its occupants. The Master of the house came out and as soon as the Queen had alighted from her carriage the well dressed man of the house came to greet her.

"Your Majesty." Said a rather nervous looking man, called Sir Robert. The Doctor attributed that to meeting with the Queen for what might be the first time. The Doctor took stock of the household staff in front of him with so many very fit looking men about, but no woman to be seen yet.

"Sir Robert. My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?

"She's indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her. The kitchens are barely stocked. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on." Said the man apparently too embarrassed to have the Queen stay when his house was so understaffed. The Doctor was beginning to form an interesting picture about the head of the house now, but it was no concern of his. Just amusing and wondered if it was as obvious to the other around him as it was to him.

"Oh, not at all. I've had quite enough carriage exercise. And this is charming, if rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often. The Torchwood Estate. Now, shall we go inside? And please excuse the naked girl." Smiled the Queen to Sir Robert as she gestured to Rose at the end of her sentence. What a thing to have to be apologized for, thought Rose. Rose was now feeling very naked actually. Maybe it was the power of suggestion, but she had felt perfectly clothed on the TARDIS and now she felt like she was running around the hills of Scotland in her undergarments.

"Sorry." Apologized Rose as she looked down, blushed, and leaned more towards the Doctor as if it would help her feel more hidden from prying eyes. The Doctor knew that he would pay for it later but he had to explain away the state of Rose's dress or people would start asking too many questions. He decided that the simplest explanation would due and although Rose would probably make him sorry for teasing her later, he couldn't help himself.

"She's a feral child. Well was. Just got her talking now. I bought her for sixpence in old London Town. Since then I've been making it my project civilizing and taming her, we sort of fell in love and got married. Still has a wild streak in her though, but we're working on that. Thought a trip to the country would help. Might soon have her in decent clothing soon, wee baby steps not need to overwhelm her newly civilized mind, bless her. Didn't think it would be a problem way out here. Anyway, I think I made the right choice in my purchase of her. It was her or the Elephant Man, right. Not as attractive, though could have been interesting…" Rose stepped on his converse covered toes as hard as she could without it being glaringly obvious to everyone about.

"Thinks he's funny but I'm so not amused. What do you think, Ma'am?" Said Rose annoyed with her husband's back-story for her in front of the Queen and wanting more to win money off him. And as for the last part, regardless of the results, she'd make him beg at this point.

"It hardly matters. Shall we proceed?" Said the Queen in a dismissive tone, not interested in the subject. She was tired and hungry.

"So close." Groaned Rose at her luck as the Queen went inside the building. Following behind her the guards carried her affects.

"Makerson and Ramsey, you will escort the property. Hurry up." Said the Officer to his men who obeyed and carried a small locked box from the carriage and into the house.

"So what's in there, then?" Asked the Doctor, curious as to the secretiveness and security around the small locked box.

"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." The officer Reynolds all but growled at the Doctor before turning to the rest of his men and ordering,

"The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions." With no other instructions the Doctor and Rose then followed the Queen. All the while Rose cooking up ideas for possible ways to win her bet.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

I don't like this Queen cause we all know what she does to the Doctor and Rose. The Doctor and Rose are becoming more hands on, if you know what I mean. Do you think their relationship is moving on naturally enough? Feedback is always appreciated.

UPDATE: I received a comment stating that something I wrote about Rose going back to her old room did not make sense. I looked back because I was like, "What are they talking about?" Then I realized that somehow in my haste to post, I had erased a half of a paragraph! Sloppy Sloppy Sloppy! Anyway went back to my notes and found the offending errr missing paragraph and put it back in. Thanks for pointing that out, dear reader!


	11. Chapter 11- The Queen's Throne

**Complications**

by The Plot Thinens

**Chapter 11 – The Queen's Throne**

* * *

"This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." Declared the Queen as she set her eyes on the massive bronze telescope in the observatory before her.

"All my father's work. Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself." Stated Sir Robert in response to his Queen's remark while looking most uncomfortable. The Doctor stared at the massive telescope with the wide eyes of a child and smiling he stated in his Scottish accent,

"I wish I'd met him. I like him. That thing's beautiful. Can I have a look?" The Doctor looked to Sir Robert for permission and after being told to help himself, the Doctor indeed helped himself to a closer look. Rose being just as interested followed close behind the Doctor, a large cog like part of the telescope catching her eye before moving on to the part that looked like a telescope in her eyes.

"What did he model it on?" Inquired the Doctor.

"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little, shall we say, eccentric. I wish now I'd spent more time with him and listened to his stories." Said the man in a nervous but still mournful voice. The Doctor looked down the barrel of the telescope to find not what he was expecting and quite rudely said,

"It's a bit rubbish. How many prisms has it got? Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top. That's stupid kind of…" The Doctor, then catching himself in the middle of a gobfest, leaned over to his wife asked in an apprehensive voice,

"Am I being rude again?" Rose with a pained grin on her face answered the affirmative and patted her husband on the shoulder urging him without more words, to mind his manners before his mouth ended up getting them in a jail cell, again.

"But it's pretty. It's very pretty." Added the Doctor to his host, trying to save himself from his own rude behavior.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." Noted the Queen. Rose saw yet another chance to win her little bet now that the Queen had addressed the two of them again, or at least the Doctor. Bucking up her courage again Rose inquired of the Queen,

"Mmm. Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something? No?"

The Doctor came up behind his bride and rubbed his face with his hand. It was now his turn to be wishing that his partner would mind what they said. He couldn't believe that she was going this far to win a bet for something, besides the ten quid (since he usually didn't have too much money), that he would willingly give to his wife. Rose just liked to win he guessed. She had always been in it to win whenever they had played any cards of any kind when they were both human. Especially after they were married and it was clothing at stake rather than poker chips. He remembered one particular time when she had not lost a single hand and she paraded about with John's rather large sweater around her neck like a cape, and holding the rest of his clothing like a trophy while he sat quite in need of clothing. He had remembered it being a bit cold in the house and that if he wasn't sure some activities might happen in a bit that would make him over heated, he would have turned up the thermostat.

* * *

"Wicked, you. You were never this bold before in stakes when we played cards in the past." John had accused as he followed her around the house starkers. He could have just as easily gone into his draws and gotten new clothing to wear, but it was the principal. Besides now that they were married, it was more than appropriate for him to follow Rose around the house in such a state. Maybe he could use it to his advantage, long enough to steal at least his boxer briefs back. Rose smirked and replied,

"You weren't good and properly mine before. I'm just for once better at something than you, and to my benefit."

"Oh you're better at a lot of things than me." Said John trying to butter her up so he could get closer.

"Like what?" Demanded Rose seductively. John made a big show of considering before leaning in toward her face to say,

"Kissing for one." John thought that he had distracted her enough and grabbed for his underwear, but only managed to swipe back one of his socks. Apparently Rose was not so easily tricked.

"Ooo, sneaky. You'll have to try harder than that." Grinned Rose who then ran off down the hall and down the stairs to the first floor where there were plenty of places to hide from a lusty and thwarted husband.

"Oh, I can give you a very hard time, Mrs. Smith! Just as soon as I catch you!" John shouted as he ran off after his wife only to be eluded for another hour until Rose had finally given him back his clothing on her terms. Of course by that point he didn't so much want to be wearing clothing again just yet. Anyway the Queen was talking again and it was time for the Doctor to get such 'torturous' memories out of his mind for the moment.

* * *

"This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales." Said Victoria with a revenant voice, clearly she held the departed man in high regard.

"Stars and magic. I like him more and more." Smirked the Doctor getting closer behind his wife.

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company. Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg." Beamed the Queen.

"That's Bavaria." Explained the Doctor to Rose as she looked a bit confused as to the place the Queen was talking about. Ah that made perfect sense as to why Victoria respected the man so much. It was a well known fact that the Queen all but worshipped her late husband when he was alive to the point of obsession and after the fact not much had changed. To her, Albert could do no wrong and anyone that he had seen fit to spend so much time with was a very respectable person in her mind.

"When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." Smiled the Queen as if she were bragging about a saint.

"So, what's this wolf, then?" Asked the Doctor of Sir Robert, part out of his curiosity to learn more about the interests of this eccentric father of Sir Robert's that was now departed. The other part in wanting his mind off of what was inappropriate in the presence of company as he moved about the room.

"It's just a story." Said Sir Robert looking nervous. Perhaps if the Doctor wasn't so distracted by trying not to think of the 'feral woman', not child, standing just in front of him, he might have noticed how the good Sir Robert, seemed terrified of his surprisingly bald staff.

"Then tell it." Insisted the Doctor, looking for an excuse to distract everyone in the room for a few moments, as he was finding suppressing his memories from poker nights gone by all the harder to do.

"It's said that…" the man tried to explain, but in a fashion highly irregular, Sir Robert's butler interrupted his master to speak.

"Excuse me, sir. Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark." Stated the bald butler. Even more nervous now, Robert agreed with his 'servant'.

"And then supper. And could we find some clothes for Mrs. McCrimmon? I'm tired of nakedness." Added the Queen in an irritated tone towards the end. Quite frankly she wished this McCrimmon man would have taught his wife better manners, even if she was just recently plucked from some godforsaken jungle.

"It's not amusing, is it?" Asked Rose still as determined to win her bet as she was still star struck to be talking to Queen Victoria. The Queen indeed did not look amused, but she did not say so and The Doctor silently scolded Rose for pushing her luck. Rose however felt that she was so close that time that she poked the Time Lord to jeer him that she would win yet. The Doctor then to get revenge gave his wife a subtle pinch to the behind as the Queen spoke. Rose of course could not bring attention to herself and what her husband was doing. So she shot a half annoyed look at her Doctor. Maybe later The Time Lord would brag about fooling around in front of the Queen with Rose, he thought as Victoria discussed with Sir Robert about getting Rose into what she thought as decent clothing. She then ordered,

"We shall dine at seven, and talk some more of this wolf. After all, there is a full moon tonight."

"So there is, Ma'am." Remarked Robert with some dread in his voice.

* * *

"Feral Child? Well, The Doctor might like seeing the 'feral child' in this…Though I might make him beg to see me out of it…" Rose said to herself most likely in half mock anger as she looked through Lady Robert's wardrobe. There were plenty to try on and Rose marveled at how much money the lady of the house must have at her disposal to leave this much behind on a trip. The room was elegant in stained shining wooden furniture and a very large four poster bed not unlike their own bed in the baby's room back on the TARDIS. Although Rose and the Doctor's guest room that they had been offered in the manor was not as elegant, she couldn't help but fantasize about the two of them in it later and what they might finally get up to with an 19th century backdrop, after some begging on the Doctor's part, of course. Couldn't let him get off to easy. But enough of those thoughts of what to do not wearing clothing, she had to focus on finding appropriate clothing to wear.

Rose giggled as she held up each dress in front of the mirror hoping that when she finally decided on a dress that it would slide on okay with her slightly larger abdomen. Maternity clothing wasn't exactly as fashionable back then. In fact she did recall the Doctor telling her that most pregnant women were hidden away from public eye once they started to show and only came out in public after the fact. This would probably explain why she had never seen a picture of a pregnant woman in any drawing or photograph from this time period that she could ever recall from any history class or documentary.

She finally was looking over a lovely blue velvet dress. She found the dress to her liking and swished it about in the mirror as she held it in front of her. Hoping to find more clothing to go with it and possibly more appropriate shoes, Rose opened another cupboard in the room only to discover a very terrified housemaid. Rose was quite startled herself and had to stop herself from screaming to loudly in kind. The woman seemed somewhat relieved to see another woman and not a scary bald man, but was still on edge. Taking pity on the poor girl, Rose led her to the bed to sit down before the poor woman passed out from hyperventilating. The maid began to explain the horrors that where going on in the house.

"…They came through the house. In the excitement they took the Steward and the Master, and my Lady." Said the young woman in a panicked voice. Rose was confused at first by her ramblings but quickly put two and two together. Trying to calm the woman, Rose squeezed her shoulders and tried to make the woman focus on her voice.

"Listen. My husband. He's called the Doctor. He'll know what to do. You've got to come with me." Rose assured the frightened woman. Rose knew that no matter the danger, the Doctor could get on top of it, if they could safely get to him.

"Oh, but I can't, Miss." Said the maid too scared to leave the safety the room gave and looking to hide right back in the wardrobe again. Rose had to get her mind off of being scared and realized that she needed to build a rapport with the maid and very quickly.

"What's your name?" Rose asked to get her to focus on not being scared and establish a friendly bond. Nervously and very quietly the woman answered that her name was Flora.

"Flora, I'm Rose and we flowers stick together. We'll be safe. There's more people arrived downstairs, soldiers and everything, and they can help us. I promise. Come on. Okay? Come on." Assured Rose that the tide had turned in their favor, if they could just warn the Doctor and all the soldiers of the treachery afoot. Rose took the woman's hand and after a quick mental reassurance to her baby that her heightened level of stress was nothing to worry about Rose quietly opened the door and looked out into the hall. The coast was clear and Rose led Flora down the corridor, but as soon as they turned the corner they spotted one of the soldiers lying on the floor and Flora began to panic a bit too loudly for Rose's liking.

"Oh, Miss. I did warn you." She said standing stiff with fear as Rose checked for a pulse on the man.

"He's not dead. I don't think, he must be drugged or something." Rose reassured the woman. Rose now realized that things were moving very fast and she needed to get to the Doctor right away, but before they could do that the bald butler, really known as Father Angelo, grabbed Flora from behind and dragged her away. Rose heard the woman's scream and looked to help her only to have another of Angelo's followers take Rose away, while a third removed the soldier on the floor from view. Rose kicked and tried to scream but the man was easily overpowering her in her off balanced position. The man then punched Rose in her kidney, before gesturing to punch her again, this time in front. Rose reluctantly stilled her struggling; she could not risk her child. She just hoped that the Doctor would notice her missing soon and that she was only being brought away to be imprisoned and not killed.

* * *

With the troublesome whore of the Doctor out of the way, Angelo confidently entered into the dining room where his unsuspecting prey sat eating.

"Your wife begs an apology, Doctor. Her clothing has somewhat delayed her." Angelo said nonchalantly. The Doctor was not surprised that Rose might have trouble fitting into tightly fitting Victorian era clothing especially without help. With any female staff seemingly gone Rose would have to make due alone. Personally he would not mind helping her, but he was interested in hearing the story about the wolf and he imagined leaving the Queen abruptly to help Rose might be seen as rude to such a woman. Ever since her husband died, she was not in the habit of being happy for other people's marriages. Besides they thought that she was a feral child, just starting to learn the ways of civilization. If she came to the party late, with her hair in a mess and the dress on backwards they would just assume it was her upbringing among whatever animals that raised her that were to blame.

"Oh, that's all right. Save ma wife a wee bit of ham, she does need her strength." Smirked the Doctor to the others around the table. The Queen had seen that the Doctor was more or less accepting that his wife was uncivilized and had much need for improvement so she did not feel any misgivings commenting,

"The feral child could probably eat it raw." Reynolds, of course, found the joke the Queen made funny and a bit overenthusiastically complimented his queen on how very witty she was. The Doctor was just glad Rose wasn't there to hear it as someone might end up with a chandelier to the head. The Queen obviously not amused by Reynolds obvious sucking up remarked,

"Slightly witty, perhaps. I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited. I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury."

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am." Answered Reynolds like a scolded child. Knowing that also no more jokes would be on the menu for the evening either.

"Besides, we're all waiting on Sir Robert. Come, sir. You promised us a tale of nightmares." Said the Doctor leaning forward on the table with a bit of a dramatic voice. Sir Robert, ever the nervous and quite frankly dull host sat there as if the devil himself were watching him.

"Indeed. Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction." Announced the Queen to which the Doctor who having experiences much loss in his day including thinking he had lost Rose multiple times said to the Queen in sympathy,

"You must miss him." Victoria was brought back to thoughts of her late husband. Nobody understood how much she had lost and certainly not a young man such as the Doctor who lived a cavalier life enough it seemed to not care for the injuries to propriety that 'wedding' a savage, if one could actually marry a godless savage, would bring to him and any society he hoped to socialize with. Still all she needed him for was protection which he was despite his personal choices in life, was more than qualified to do according to his papers. And this trip was all for Albert's memory anyway, she could endure any questionable company. No love was ever like Albert and hers which had been taken away from her far too soon. Composing herself she replied,

"Very much… Oh, completely." Then realizing that she might be giving away too much emotion, straightened up and continued,

"And that's the charm of a ghost story, isn't it? Not the scares and chills, that's just for children, but the hope of some contact with the great beyond. We all want some message from that place. It's the Creator's greatest mystery that we're allowed no such consolation. The dead stay silent, and we must wait…"

The Doctor ever understood how the Queen felt. The Time Lords had a grasp on most mysteries of life and the universe and were even able to preserve the consciousness of a dead Time Lord for future use or posterity. This was sort of a form of an afterlife. Even regeneration was a means of cheating death and that great unknown. But now that was all gone and on some lonely times, the Doctor wondered what would become of him next once there were no more regenerations left. And if he would be expected to pay for his crimes. He didn't know. Did it scare him? Of course. Was it a thrilling and terrifying mystery? Yes. Did he want to know the answer? Maybe, eventually, but not now. Rassilon not now. He actually had things to live for now. But what he reasoned scared most beings, for he was not alone in the fear of death. Why even with having a faith that so many were afraid of dying, was probably because the thought, even if ever so small, sat in the darkest corner of minds that maybe there might not be anything at all and that this was it. And those lost we would never see again. Just blackness and no more. The Doctor shivered a bit, but then the Queen began talking again.

"Come. Begin your tale, Sir Robert. There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves. Tell us of monsters." Mused the Queen quite interested in the subject and brushing off the very personal statements she had just made.

* * *

Rose sat in the cellar chained along with Flora and the other missing members of the household, including the Lady of the house Isobel. Rose stared at a curious, but intimidating figure sitting in a metal cage in front of them. He looked like a young monk and he was sitting quietly and not making a sound.

"Don't make a sound. They said if we scream or shout, then he will slaughter us." Warned Lady Isobel to Rose. Rose however was not convinced and questioning authority as usual Rose asked,

"But he's in a cage. He's a prisoner. He's the same as us." Rose did not understand what was the big deal and why everyone was more scared of a man in a cage than being imprisoned in a cold dungeon. For Pete's sake, they were all at least properly clothed. Rose was a bit on the chilly side and not just from the atmosphere.

"He's nothing like us. That creature is not mortal." Said the Lady in a pitiful voice. The young man in the cage then opened his eyes and they were completely black. Unusual Rose thought but nothing she had not seen before. Rose was growing ever more curious as to whom this person was and she wasn't going to stand around waiting to be rescued, she was going to find a way out. First step was to gather any intelligence from this unusual man who seemed to have the staff scared half to death.

* * *

Back in the Dining Room Sir Robert was finally telling his tale that everyone was so keen to hear. Ever the nervous man Sir Robert explained,

"The story goes back three hundred years. Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and devoured." The last part the poor man said as if his stomach might turn from the thought. Now seeing his chance to look ever the sensible and intelligent man before his Queen Reynolds sat up straight and cockily declared,

"Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that." Secretly not wanting his tale to go so easily dismissed as the man desperately wanted to confess the danger in his home without it becoming known to his capturers, Sir Robert with more enthusiasm insisted,

"But sometimes a child goes missing. Once in a generation, a boy will vanish from his homestead."

* * *

Rose had mustered the courage, where others bigger than her had not. Trying not to rub her belly to comfort herself and her child, as she had been in the habit of doing lately, she tried her best to look brave. She needed to be the Doctor in this moment and she could not show vulnerability if it could be helped. Moving towards the crate, as far as the chain would let her, she tried to engage the person in conversation.

"Don't, child." Begged the Lady of the house. Rose was getting annoyed with being called 'child' especially since she was carrying one, but she over looked that offense to focus on the task at hand.

"Who are you?" Rose asked a bit apprehensively before getting on her knees to look the young caged man better in the eyes.

"Don't enrage him." Warned the Steward of the house, but Rose was not going to cower like the rest of these people. She needed answers and now.

"Where are you from? You're not from Earth. What planet are you from?" Questioned Rose with a hint of fear in her voice that she was trying to mask. She knew that anything that seemed alien to her world, most likely was. And it certainly was not out of the ordinary in her world at least to find humans and or aliens taking advantage of each other throughout time and space. This man could be an alien being taken advantage of or pulling the strings, but him being caged made the last idea more unlikely.

"Oh, intelligence." Mused the young looking monk. This wasn't a normal stupid human, she had her eyes open unlike the humans that closed their eyes and cowered in the corner.

"Where were you born?" Asked Rose, trying to sleuth for an answer to help her figure out just what she was dealing with without the Doctor to tell her.

"This body? Ten miles away. A weakling, heartsick boy, stolen away at night by the brethren for my cultivation. I carved out his soul and sat in his heart." Explained the creepy looking man in a rat like voice. Well that was getting somewhere thought Rose, fearing that the information that this person had to give could only get worse.

* * *

"Are there descriptions of the creature?" Asked the Doctor, as he knew that mythical creatures were often known alien species to him. Throughout history sometimes aliens were accidentally seen by the less evolved population of Earth when they came to visit for whatever reason.

"Oh, yes, Doctor. Drawings and woodcarvings. And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal." The Doctor finally got the connection. It was a very classic monster of the humans' monster pantheon,

"A werewolf?" He grinned in acknowledgement as he grew more interested. The Queen and even Reynolds were finding themselves sucked into the dramatic exchanges between the Doctor and Sir Robert.

* * *

"All right, so the body's human. But what about you, the thing inside?" Questioned Rose as she continued her interrogation.

"So far from home." Declared the caged man.

"If you want to get back home, we can help." Assured Rose to the obviously marooned alien. There was no need for violence or further imprisonment of anyone if all this alien needed was a lift back home. This offer actually seemed to confuse the alien,

"Why would I leave this place? A world of industry, of workforce and warfare. I could turn it to such purpose." Hissed the creature clearly human only in body and most definitely not benign.

"How would you do that?" Asked Rose, now scared of what the intentions, so obviously ill that this creature had for the Earth and its people.

"I would migrate to the Holy Monarch." The caged alien explained. Rose was very scared now and for clarity that she had not mistaken what the alien was saying asked,

"You mean Queen Victoria?"

"With one bite, I would pass into her blood, and then it begins. The Empire of the Wolf." Hissed the man who then looked at Rose deeply.

"Many questions." Noted the alien before lunging at the bars and growling.

"Look. Inside your eyes. You've seen it too." Stated the alien astonished by Rose.

"Seen what?" Question Rose, still on guard from the lung at the bars and very confused as to what the alien meant.

"The Wolf. There is something of the Wolf about you." Rose had no idea what this crazy sounding alien was barking about and trying to remain calm said that she did not know what the alien meant. Although secretly the hint of the words 'Bad Wolf' danced in the back of her head. Bad Wolf was still yet a mystery and entwined with her and her daughter. Did this creature sense the Goddess of Time still on her? She certainly did not want him knowing anymore about that. The creature was trying for fearsome but still his posturing had a hint of a dog barking at another dog, in hopes that its bark could alone scare away the stronger dog before it could realize that it was in fact stronger than the barking one. Ever cryptic the black eyed creature roared at Rose,

"You burnt like the sun, but all I require is the moon." And indeed a full moon hanged high in the sky over the manor that night.

* * *

"My father didn't treat it as a story. He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast, to have learned its purpose. I should have listened." Said Sir Robert conspiratorially as his butler oddly made his way across the room staring at something out the window. Seemingly uncaring Sir Robert continued his tale and the Doctor was starting to suspect that something was up.

"His work was hindered. He made enemies. There's a monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations." Mourned Sir Robert for his lack of understanding from his father until it was too late. Angelo just continued to gaze out at the moon while chanting something in Latin 'lupus dues'? That was most irregular.

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." Noted Victoria, but Robert dismissed this claim.

"That's what I thought. But now I wonder. What if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet? What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?" Warned Sir Robert of his guests. And the penny dropped and the Doctor knew that they were once again in the middle of trouble,

"And what if they were with us right now?" Asked the Doctor as he stared at the butler chanting about a wolf god in Latin. This was not good at all. But Sire Robert was very relieved that his message had finally gotten through, but if only it was not too late.

* * *

The cellar doors were suddenly flung open, and the light shined into the dark and cold dungeon like place. The moon light fell on the crate and all in the cellar now saw the man in the crate clearly.  
"Moonlight." Hummed the cloaked man to himself as the bright light shined into his eyes. He made a grin with his rotten looking teeth and then the young man removed his cloak as an unnatural wind started to seemingly blow through the cellar. Rose knew that this was bad news and now that their 'jailer' was distracted this was their time to escape if they were ever to have one.

"All of you! Stop looking at it! Flora, don't look. Listen to me. Grab hold of the chain and pull! Come on! With me! Pull!" Commanded Rose, taking charge of the 'rescue themselves' party as the man in the crate started screaming inhuman screams. Surely there was enough strength between the whole of them to pull these disused chains from their buckles on the wall. And if these people needed motivation to pull on the chains then the young man reshaping himself into something hideous on the other side of the cellar was incentive enough. At least Rose thought so. Still they were too scared by what they did not understand and they stared in fear at the man in the crate. Rose needed them to focus on her if they wanted to get out before the situation got worst. One of the maids tried to protest that they had been ordered to not move and to stay quiet, but Rose was not having it. She was no damsel in distress and she wasn't going to let anyone else in this cellar, man or woman, be one either.

"I said pull! Stop your whining and listen to me! All of you! And that means you, your Ladyship. Now come on, pull!" Barked Rose to everyone on her 'chain gang'. Finally muster the 'troops' Rose and her 'gang' began to pull with all their might at the latch on the wall keeping them chained.

* * *

"What is the meaning of this?" Demanded the Queen, now very aware that something traitorous was afoot.

"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!" Growled Reynolds with righteous fury as he pointed his pistol at Sir Robert and the butler.

"What's happening?" The queen ordered. She wanted an explanation as she was very disturbed by the display before her.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, they've got my wife." Was all Sir Robert could pathetically say in his defense. The very words wife then caused the Doctor's mind to jumpstart. Where was his wife? She had been gone for too long and it was this literal chanting lunatic that had said she was indisposed. If anything had happened to Rose, he would… Well he didn't have time for that thought yet. The Doctor then snarled at the butler,

"Rose! Where's Rose? Where is she?" Realizing that the man was ignoring him and more or less in a trance the Doctor abandoned the idea of getting any intelligence from him and shouted to the lord of the house,

"Sir Robert, come on!" He needed to find his Rose and he needed the master of the house to tell him where that was if he could. The two left the room without hesitation to find their mates. The Captain however did not follow the Doctor or Sir Robert, but just kept his revolver trained on the chanting monk. He had to protect his Queen. The Doctor was scared out of his mind. The closer he got to the cellar that Sir Robert said the prisoners were being held the stronger he could feel the distress of his child's mind. Something was wrong with Rose and he just hoped that he was not already too late to save his family.

* * *

The young man in the crate was now screaming in pain and appeared to be somewhat glowing. Cracks could be heard as if his bones were breaking under the cruel transformation. His face morphed and contorted as his features became more animal like and less human. It was as if he were changing into a dog, no not a dog, a wolf! Horrified but not deterred Rose continued to urge on and shout to her team of pullers.

The werewolf was now fully formed, and examining its paws. Seeing that its prey was trying to escape, it quickly realized that it wanted out of its cage. It was time to hunt for a meal. Rose and her fellow inmates gave one last final pull to hopefully free themselves and escape.

"One, two, three, pull!" Commanded Rose as everyone pulled like they did not care if their ripped their arms out of their sockets. Finally, the end of the chain broke free from the wall and at that instance The Doctor and Robert kicked their way in through the locked door. Robert ran to his wife happy to see him while the Doctor got a different reception.

"Where the hell have you been?" Demanded Rose in an angry and irritated voice. That was him. Always swanning off somewhere while she found out what was really going on. Which usually landed her in trouble, but that was beside the point. With a baby involved in the mix she would have to set a rule for when traveling for the foreseeable future. If I, Rose Tyler, am out of your sight for longer than an hour, then bloody come looking for me! The Doctor let out a sigh of relief that his family was unharmed. His child was still in distress but they were not out of danger just yet. He sent out assurance to his baby and then The Time Lord turned around to see the occupant of the crate trying to break out. The Doctor was astonished by the amazing creature before him and forgetting the danger for a moment in the presence of such an alien, marveled,

"Oh, that's beautiful." The Doctor was so excited by the rare find that he almost did not hear Sir Robert encouraging everyone to get out of the cellar as the werewolf broke out of the crate. Realizing that the werewolf had gone from beautiful curiosity to danger, the Doctor snapped out of it and ran for his wife.

"Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" Shouted the Doctor to everyone. To which Rose said,

"Don't gotta to tell me twice, ya twat, Come on." The Doctor took one last forbidden stare in admiration of the creature while managing to duck as it threw a piece of crate at him. With Rose already through the door the Doctor ran out and locked the door with the sonic screwdriver. It probably would not hold the creature for long, but it might give them a head start. A loud wolf howl was then heard echoing throughout the manor that chilled the blood.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose were now in the gunroom along with the rest of the household. The male members of staff along with Sir Robert were readying themselves to battle with the creature on the loose. The Steward handing out the contents of the gun cupboard to every available man.

"Arms, and you five. Ready, everyone?" Shouted the Steward and then shouted to Lady Isobel,

"Take the girls. Get them out through the kitchen." However, Isobel could not leave her husband that she had finally been reunited with after fearing that she would never see him again. Rose could more than understand, but she questioned how much use that a woman raised to be weak, or at least think she was weak, could be in a gun fight. Not to sell her sex short, but she had been of little help in the cellar. She had been content to obey the orders of her captures no matter what.

"I can't leave you. What will you do?" Isobel asked of her husband. Sir Robert was also torn by emotion. He wanted to personally protect his wife. But he had already done so much injury to the crown and his honor that he had to devote himself completely to seeing that his monarch came out of this mess alive and well. Even if he did not.

"I must defend her Majesty. Now, don't think of me, just go." Said Sir Robert his wife then kissed him before leaving, certain that she probably would never see him alive again, but trying to put on a brave face. Sir Robert knew his wife trusted him and bravely she led her staff back to the other side of the manor to find a means of escape.

"All of you, at my side. Come on!" Commanded Isobel to her female staff. Well perhaps she could lead after all thought Rose as she watched Isobel take up the job of leading her staff to safety.

The Doctor, now having brought the dungeon party to relative safety saw in better lighting just how raw Rose's wrists were looking from being forced into rough metal manacles. Anger at the mistreatment of his wife bubbled up. How could he be so stupid as to let his love and the mother of his child out of his site for so long? He was angry with the monks and the wolf almost as much as he was angry with himself for once more failing to keep her out of harms way.

"My poor Rose." Mouthed the Doctor as he used his sonic screwdriver to set about removing the shackles immediately. Worried about the rusty things and not knowing if Rose had ever even had a tetanus shot, he soniced the wounds clean and removed any impurities. Rose watched the Doctor work in quiet and tried not to move while he was helping her. The Doctor then done with his task preformed one more duty that although in textbooks it served no actual medical purpose the Doctor had seen it 'work' before when administered by Rose on his last form. Like Rose had kissed him on his injured head in what seemed like a lifetime ago, he laid a soft kiss on each of her wrists. The two made eye contact again, worry on both of their eyes. Wordlessly they communicated that they were alright and only after the Doctor had played his role as doting husband and protective expectant father did he reverse his focus and question his wife.

"It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths. Did it say what it wanted?" Questioned the Doctor of his wife.

"The Queen, the Crown, the throne - you name it." Announced Rose in a panicked voice to her husband as pounding noises were heard from the cellar door down the corridor. The shackles now off of Rose, she rubbed at her irritated wrists. There was then another crash of something bursting through a wooden door and The Doctor very quickly went to investigate. To his great discomfort he was rewarded with a view of the werewolf at the other end of the passageway. That was all the warning he needed as the creature started barreling down the hall. With lightning speed he ran back into the gunroom and grabbed Rose, pulling her behind the line of men with rifles. The Doctor had no idea how effective the guns would be on the werewolf if at all, but he guessed that they would find out. He wasn't about to personally harm another alien until it proved a direct threat to his family and himself, but that probably would happen soon. He might as a Time Lord have a duty to keep Queen Victoria safe from this beast and preserve time lines, but if it came down to it, he would choose to save Rose. After all Victoria would do the same if she were him and Rose were Albert.

"Fire! Fire!" Shouted the Steward as guns began to blaze in the direction of the Werewolf. Gun smoke masking the room and the results of the shots.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: WEREWOLF! I hope you liked the little flash back. It's been a while since I had an opportunity to do that. I'm not through with John Smith yet, not by a long shot…or the ninth Doctor. Little spoiler there of the reward waiting for you if you stick around long enough. I appreciate your patience and to reassure you. This will never be a dead fic till I say so. And I'm not the type to leave you high and dry. Also a reader pointed out an error in my last chapter, which I corrected and left an explanation in the Author's notes of the last chapter.


	12. Chapter 12 - Were's the Wolf

**Complications **

**by the-Plot-Thinens**

**Chapter 12 – Were's the wolf? (and I know its spelt wrong)**

* * *

"All right, you men. We should retreat upstairs. Come with me." Commanded the Doctor as the dust started to clear and the slobbering creature who had been charging them seemed gone. Still the Doctor was not taking any chances with his family and a key historical figure's safety at risk. Unfortunately for the Doctor precious time to retreat was being wasted by the steward's reluctance to move his stubborn arse.

"I'll not retreat. The battle's done. There's no creature on God's Earth that could survive such an assault." Declared the Steward in an arrogant voice.

"I'm telling you, come upstairs!" Shouted the Doctor to the foolish man, 'God's Earth' had nothing to do with this creature that was anything but of this Earth.

"And I'm telling you, sir, I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall." Shouted the Steward back. He could not believe the cowardice of this Doctor bloke.

The gun smoke was all but cleared now and the Steward stalked about into the corridor looking for any signs of a pathetic furry mush of meat bleeding out on the floor. Finding no such evidence on the floor the steward scoffed,

"It must have crawled away to die." However, no sooner had the Steward said this was he surprisingly and horrifyingly hoisted up to the ceiling. The man screamed and as he disappeared from sight and only the sounds of snarling and wet meat ripping could be heard. The Doctor shouted to the group, while pull a shocked Rose along,

"There's nothing we can do!" They had to get away. There was nothing the Doctor could do right now in this situation, he needed time to think and that could only be done in a safer place. The Doctor had to fight back a sick feeling of being grateful that the werewolf was distracted at the moment. That distraction was a man being eviscerated along with his remaining armed men in the gunroom, and being grateful for that did not sit well with the Time Lord. Still he had to protect Rose above all else.

* * *

The party of runners had finally made it to the base of the Staircase and much to Sir Robert's relief. Her majesty the Queen was unharmed and climbing down the stairs. The Doctor discretely used his sonic to lock the door hoping that it would buy them a bit more time. Sir Robert called out to his Queen only for her to in a quite business like voice,

"Sir Robert? What's happening? I heard such terrible noises." Demanded the Queen, having heard all the commotion in the manor.

"Your Majesty, we've got to get out. But what of Father Angelo? Is he still here?" Questioned Sir Robert, knowing that he had left the Queen not unprotected but not in a safe situation. With only one guard to protect her when he ran off with the Doctor to save their wives, Sir Robert was definitely feeling obligated to do his share of protecting the Queen now.

"Captain Reynolds disposed of him." The Queen said flatly and that was the end of that subject.

"The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut. Pardon me, Your Majesty. You'll have to leg it out of a window." Said The Doctor apologizing for the undignified exit that he was suggesting for the Queen to make. With her head held high the Queen help her skirt off the ground and began to walk in the direction the Doctor indicated. The Group then made their way into the drawing room which had large stain glass windows that opened into the courtyard. As they approached the window, Sir Robert, ever ready to please and make up for his treasonous acts stopped the Queen.

"Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress." Suggested Sir Robert. In a very proper and condescending voice, that had Sir Robert sure that if he was not killed tonight, he would be executed by his Queen later,

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." The Doctor had no time for banter. He needed to get the Queen and more importantly his pregnant wife out of the building. Forgetting his Scottish accent and slipping back into his London one the Doctor questioned somewhat rudely,

"Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" If there was one thing that the Doctor liked about humans as they progressed in history was that they moved faster. Victorian humans were certainly not that fast moving at all. Just stand around all day talking with the world blowing up around them. Needing no more encouragement, Robert opened the window and stepped a foot out only to have the rest of the monks, who now it seemed appeared to be outside the manor armed to the teeth, opened fire. Debris from the stone masonry was broken off by the bullets and Sir Robert nearly got his head blown off. A few bits of stone hit Rose in the arm and the Doctor began to really start to worry that there was no way out.

"I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside." Noted the Doctor as he saw the orange-ish clad man with their guns. The Queen had also been too close for comfort to those shots and surprised and indignant she asked,

"Do they know who I am?" Oh did they ever know, thought Rose who then piped up to the Queen,

"Yeah, that's why they want you. The wolf's lined you up for a, a biting." The Queen looked at the feral child in disbelief and growing apprehension. She could easily believe superstitions to take over the frail mind of a wild thing like this Rose person, but all the highly educated men around her seemed to believe her too. Was she the only one not crazy in this house?

"Stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf." Snapped the Queen only to be taken aback when a deathly howl rang through the building. The unmistakable howl of a wolf. The wolf was getting closer to finding them and now was the time to panic it seemed. Rose was quaking with fear. It was a lot to take in. There was only so much a person could take of being shot at, hunted, and seeing brutal murders before they started to come a bit undone. Then there was the pounding on the door the Doctor had soniced shut and the splinting from the door being broken down.

"What do we do?" Asked Rose of her husband for some sort of assurance, a sign of a plan, something to make her and her baby feel safe. The Doctor had no such protections to offer at the moment and said the only logical thing that they could do. The Doctor was very glad that Rose was not too big yet because now was the time for some heavy foot work.

"We run." Said the Doctor plainly. Rose was surprised at the simple answers and wanting to make sure that she heard right, she asked if that was it. The Doctor now getting more nervous as hairy footsteps and pounding noises were getting closer yelped back,

"You got any silver bullets?" Rose couldn't believe the ridiculousness of the question at the moment. Did she have any silver bullets? She lived in a country where for the most part it was illegal to own guns.

"Not on me, no." Said Rose like she could not believe the Doctor's question. Having no other options they had to move. The Doctor's superior senses told him that the creature was very near and if they didn't hightail it now, then they would never be able to get up the stair in time.

"There we are then, we run. Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog. Good for the health. Come on!" The Time Lord shouted jogging in place before he grabbed Rose and then the Queen by their hands and dragged them up the stairs. A good thing too since the werewolf smashed its way to the bottom of the stairs and started following them. They were just about two flights above when the creature started climbing the stairs, the pounding of its feet and heavy breathing echoing in the stairwell.

* * *

"Come on! Come on!" Pleaded the Doctor of his human companions as he could smell and hear the monster catching up. The werewolf was nearly upon then as they approach the corridor to the library when Reynolds turned the corner and shot at the wolfish creature. Not expecting the attack and taking the bullet full in the chest the werewolf retreated for a moment to recover. Reynolds now all business began to reload his revolver.

"I'll take this position and hold it. You keep moving, for God's sake! Your Majesty, I went to look for the property and it was taken. The chest was empty." Said Reynolds. With her hand over her heart and in a winded voice the Queen informed him that she had it and it was safe. Relieved Reynolds declared,

"Then remove yourself, Ma'am. Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector. And you, Sir Robert, you're a traitor to the crown."

"Bullets can't stop it!" Shouted the Doctor in warning, not wanting another person to die while he was around.

"They'll buy you time. Now run!" Ordered the man and not having any other choice, the Doctor and his party ran to barricade themselves in the library and hopefully find a means of escape. Reynolds could be heard empting his revolver at the werewolf most ineffectually. Rose however had stopped just before the door frozen. She didn't know what she was waiting for maybe she was waiting for the brave man to come running so they could help him escape as she watched him down the hall shooting at what had to be the wolf. She couldn't believe that another person was going to die for her sake by default along with the Queen and just had to be sure he was going to be okay. But that was not to be and she witnessed the wolf pouncing on to the poor man as it ripped him apart. The Doctor seeing that Rose was not inside with him but had walked out to the hall ran back for her.

"Rose!" Shouted the Doctor before grabbing her around the middle and dragging her inside the room. The screaming of Reynolds only stopped after The Doctor had shut the heavy wooden doors.

"Barricade the door." Shouted Robert to which Rose and the Doctor helped him do with great enthusiasm. They piled chairs and benched against the door all the while being quite sure that it would do little good, but what else was there to do. Rose had never thought that it would end this way, she always expected that if she died it would be like she almost had on some space station in the future, not in the past, ripped apart by some barbaric monster. That certainly wasn't what she wanted for her child or her Doctor, but that might very well be what happened now. The Doctor was having much the same thoughts and was desperate for a moments respite to think of a plan. They then waited in sickening silence for the door to be forced open from the other side, but nothing happened. Things had gone all quiet and they didn't know what to think.

"Wait a minute. Shush, shush, wait a minute." Whispered the Doctor as they heard one lonely howl.

"It's stopped." Ever so carefully the Doctor placed his ear to the door and could hear the werewolf sniff at the door, snarl and then pad away on its enormous feet. Letting out a sigh of relief the Doctor turned away from the door and simply stated,

"It's gone."

"Listen." Said Rose quietly as they heard footsteps and growls from outside the walls as it walked around the outside of the room. The Queen clutched at her purse and Sir Robert quaked in fear as they listened. Rose gravitated closer to the Doctor. Rose could sense now very clearly that her worried thoughts and the heighted levels of adrenaline in her system were upsetting the baby and she hoped that just being closer to the actual telepath in the family would help calm her down. Rose was scared enough without empathically feeling the fear and apprehension of her own child on top of it. A cold dreadful thought then came to the Doctor's head and turning to Sir Robert, he whispered,

"Is this the only door?" Robert whispered back a quiet yes only to then pipe up and shout,

"No!" As he remembered that there was yet another unguarded way into the room. Quickly they barricaded the other door hoping that it too would hold. Once more it was a waiting game and everyone, daring not even to breathe, stood in silence listening for the Werewolf.

"Shush." Cautioned Rose as she stood ramrod, the noise continued but then again there was quiet.

"I don't understand. What's stopping it?" asked Rose, not knowing why now it was being picky about breaking down doors.

"Something inside this room. What is it? Why can't it get in?" Asked the Doctor of the room in frustration as everyone now took the moment to breathe again. Sir Robert sat down and buried his head in his hands. He couldn't believe what a turn his life had taken. The Queen was contemplating what would have to be done to save her kingdom from such a monster. What Rose needed was to calm down and there was only one way to do it. Now given the moment to breath and thankful to be alive Rose let out a sigh,

"I'll tell you what, though." The Doctor looked to his wife in concern and asked,

"What?"

"Werewolf." Said Rose, not believing that such a thing did actually exist. Rose needed to slip back into their adventurous mode as much as the Doctor had. It was their safe zone and stress needed to be flaked off for all three members of the TARDIS family's sake.

"I know." Sighed the Doctor in with a little laugh as he hugged his wife. Rose squeezed him as tight as she could before he pulled away and looking her in the eyes the Doctor asked Rose,

"You all right?" Rose said that she was fine and continued her lighthearted mood. Unfortunately, what was a defense mechanism for the Doctor and Rose was seen by the Queen as a complete disregard for the severity of the situation and it disturbed her greatly. Who were these people who laughed off danger as if it were nothing. It led her to believe that the two went looking for trouble. Her brooding was interrupted however,

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's all my fault. I should have sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong. I thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?" Said Sir Robert to his Queen. Now when you mentioned it like that, the Doctor supposed that it should have been obvious, but his mind had formed a different conclusion.

"Well, they were bald, athletic. Your wife's away, I just thought you were happy." Hinted the Doctor in a slightly uncomfortable voice. Perhaps it was being so removed from the time period, the fact that Rose was used to adventures like this or that she desperately needed a distraction, but Rose's mind went back to her bet.

"I'll tell you what though, Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now." Said Rose to the Queen after a moment of silence to think over if she really should say anything. Rose decided that lifting the mood could not hurt but Victoria felt the very opposite. The Queen had now formed her conclusion that these were reckless and morally questionable people she found herself associating with. In anger that they clearly did not grasp the severity of the situation and were cracking jokes, barked,

"Do you think this is funny?" Rose realizing that now that she had misspoken quickly answered no and apologized. The Queen just stared at these two people clearly of a kind but the Lord knew only knew what that was and grasping for something that made sense demanded,

"What, exactly, I pray tell me, someone, please. What exactly is that creature?" Rose wasn't sure as to what she should say to the Queen and looking to the Doctor for a sign found him very nervously answering as if he had been caught scrumping in the Queen's orchard,

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." Answered the Doctor now seeing that the Queen was in no mood for anything lighthearted at a time like this.

"And should I trust you, sir? You who change your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?" Demanded the Queen who realized that she knew nothing of these two except that they were bad news, they must be lying, and probably, in part, the reason for all this somehow. The Doctor now realizing, in surprise, that he had dropped his Scottish accent replied,

"Oh right, sorry, that's…" However he was quickly cowed and interrupted by the Queen.

"I'll not have it. No, sir. Not you, not that thing, none of it. This is not my world." Hissed the Queen rejecting the reality in front of her. Tough break thought Rose, the world is the way it is whether we like it to be or not. The Queen like so many other people the Doctor encountered was unwilling or in denial that all was not as it seemed. But unlike others, Victoria thought that she had the power and authority to will it so. Feeling very much like children who had been told off by Nan, the Doctor and Rose looked about the room for anything that could help them. It was of little concern to the Doctor if the Queen hated him forever as long as he could get everyone out of here. His superior eyes then noticed a curious carving on the door that the Wolf had failed to crash through.

"Mistletoe. Sir Robert, did you father put that there?" The Doctor inquired of Sir Robert on the design carved into the wood.

"I don't know. I suppose." Answered the man not seeing why that was so important right now. This was very curious to the Doctor as he looked across the room to the other door.

"On the other door, too. No, a carving wouldn't be enough. I wonder." Pondered the Doctor as he went up to the door next to him and licked the woodwork. Rose raised her eyebrow in confusion. Why was the Doctor licking the door? That was when the Doctor's eyes lit up and he went into full manic mode, cheering,

"Viscum album, the oil of the mistletoe. It's been worked into the wood like a varnish. How clever was your dad? I love him. Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins." Rose was now very perplexed and not believing that she was coming to this conclusion asked,

"And the wolf's allergic to it?" The Doctor then grinned,

"Well, it thinks it is. The monkey monk monks need a way of controlling the wolf, maybe they trained it to react against certain things." This was all very interesting information but Sir Robert had no patience for this madman's ramblings. He was no closer to protecting the Queen and hissed,

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." The Doctor couldn't believe how unlike his father Sir Robert was and quite bluntly retorted,

"Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?" To which Rose grumbled back with a smile,

"Being rude again." The Doctor however was not sorry for that last comment, it was true.

"Good. I meant that one. You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He then threw some books to Rose, who caught them before saying to the room,

"Arm yourself." The Doctor then placed black rimmed glasses over his eyes and Rose's breath was caught. She had never seen him in those before. The Doctor had not worn glasses since he was John. He had looked good then and boy did he look good now. She might have kissed him right there if they weren't already in hot water with death waiting outside. If they lived through this she might ask him to wear those sexy specs for her own pleasure later.

* * *

Frantically the Doctor, Rose and Sir Robert began looking through Sir Robert's late father's library. There had to be something among all these books that could tell them what they could do to defeat the fearsome monster roaming about the building.

"Biology, zoology. There might be something on wolves in here." Declared Rose as she scanned over the books titles. The Doctor appreciated Rose's efforts, but that had to be too obvious a place to look for their solution.

"Hold on, what about this? A book on mistletoe." Noted the Doctor as he looked at some the books higher up on shelf. Rose then found a book on magic but that wasn't going to help while Robert found among a book some form of explosive and suggested it to the Doctor. The Doctor however, found what he was looking for and showed Rose his findings.

"Wolf's bane, what about that?" Asked Rose as she began to look over another book. The Doctor then placed the book he was reading down on the table and announced,

"Look what your old dad found. Something fell to Earth." Rose could clearly see a woodcut image of what looked like a shooting star, falling to Earth in a valley among some buildings in the countryside, but could as easily be,

"A spaceship?" asked Rose of the Doctor.

"A shooting star." Corrected Sir Robert as he read,

"In the year of our Lord 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit. That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by the monastery."

"But that's over three hundred years ago. What's it been waiting for?" Asked Rose, not seeing why they were so lucky to be experiencing the terror they were now, when the suspicious event happened then.

"Maybe just a single cell survived. Adapting slowly down the generations, it survived through the humans, host after host after host." Suggested the Doctor as to why the delay in appearance of the creature until now.

"But why does it want the throne?" Asked Sir Robert if it was content to survive host after host for 300 years.

"That's what it wants. It said so. The, the Empire of the Wolf." Explained Rose, clearly it had been just waiting for the right time when it was strong and could strike.

"Imagine it. The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam, leaving history devastated in its wake." Said the Doctor in a horrified and hushed tone. Now finally understanding what the creature wanted thanks to these appropriately named lunatics, Victoria shout up from her leather seat and stated,

"Sir Robert. If I am to die here…." But she was interrupted by Sir Robert, who insisted,

"Don't say that, Your Majesty." Victoria would have none of it. Her first duty was to the safety of her Kingdom and if she stood in the way of that well then fine, but there was something else more important than her that needed to be taken care of before she died.

"I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me. But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself." Announced the Queen. Barely looking up from his book, and yet again rudely, the Doctor stated,

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Queen outraged, but not breaking her cool, clipped back,

"Thank you for your opinion, but there is nothing more valuable than this." The Queen then removed a white 105.6 carat diamond from her purse. The room was gob smacked by the size of the thing. The Queen was quite satisfied by leaving the two rude characters speechless.

"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" Asked Rose in disbelief as she approached the shiny object in the Queen's hand the Doctor right behind her.

"Oh, yes. The greatest diamond in the world." The Doctor said plainly him and Rose not being able to take their eyes off the famous object.

"Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die." Said the Queen dramatically, to which the Doctor condescended to say under his breath,

"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough. Can I?" He then put his hand out in permission to look at the diamond. Reluctantly the Queen handed it over and the Doctor and Rose took a good close look at it. The Doctor pushed down his glasses, not believing how perfect the diamond was.

"That is so beautiful." Remarked the Doctor as the diamond caught what little light was in the room.

"How much is that worth?" Asked Rose. She needed, upon looking at such a treasure, to quantify it in a way that she could grasp.

"They say the wages of the entire planet… for a whole week." Smirked the Doctor to his wife. Rose then grinned,

"Good job my mum's not here. She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing."

"And she'd win." Said the Doctor as if it were fact. The bubble of calm and wonder that the Doctor and Rose had put up around them was then popped by Sir Robert inquiring,

"Where is the wolf? I don't trust this silence." However the Doctor and Rose were still too amazed by the coincidence of getting to see all of the stereotypes associated with the Queen Victoria in one trip.

"Why do you travel with it?" The Doctor questioned the Queen.

"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew, the Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs recutting." Explained the Queen. Rose could not believe that such a perfect stone could use anymore work and said as much,

"Oh, but it's perfect." If Rose had a diamond like that, the last thing she would see is an imperfection in it, she guessed that that was the privilege of being rich and powerful. Being able to see flaws where there were none.

"My late husband never thought so." Declared the Queen with a smile. Victoria even after his death was trying everything in mind that she thought might please her dead husband.

"Now, there's a fact. Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting." Said the Doctor as he once more looked at the shiny stone.

"He always said the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished." The Queen said mournfully. And that was when the Doctor got the connection.

"Unfinished. Oh, yes." Whispered the Doctor who then threw the stone back to Victoria. She was surprised by it being just tossed to her but said nothing. How could he be so bone dead stupid?, thought the Doctor as he ran his hand through this hair, pulling at it as his big Time Lord mind worked. Full of energy the ancient alien shouted,

"There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research, and your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond. Hold on, hold on. All these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected. Oh, my head, my head. What if this house, it's a trap for you. Is that right, Ma'am?"

"Obviously." Said the Queen plainly, waiting patiently for the crazed Doctor to get to his point.

"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But, what if there's a trap inside the trap?" Questioned the Doctor. Still not getting the point the Queen clipped back,

"Explain yourself, Doctor."

"What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true, and they planned against it, laying the real trap not for you but for the wolf." Rasped the Doctor as suddenly plaster dust began to fall from the ceiling. With a sicken feeling all in the room looked up to see a domed skylight and there looking down upon them was the wolf.

"That wolf there." Said the Doctor softly as the glass began to crack beneath the heavy creature. Realizing that their safe hiding place had been compromise the Doctor shouted for everyone to leave the room. The wolf then crashed through the window to the floor and everyone moved frantically to pull down the barricade. Then rushing from the room, the Doctor shut the mistletoe doors on the werewolf. Sir Robert grabbed on to the Queen and the Doctor shouted for them all to get to the observatory. However, in his one tracked minded frenzy to stop the wolf the Doctor realized too late that he had left Rose trailing behind. The werewolf had caught up with Rose and the Doctor turned around fast enough just to see her scream as the wolf raised his arm to slash her to pieces. The Doctor's hearts dropped to the center of the Earth as he realized that there was no way for him to get to her in time. She was going to die and he had failed Rose. He had also failed his child too and his punishment for that and his past crimes was to watch the woman he loved die horribly. Rose screamed again but then a pan of hot liquid was thrown over the wolf, which then retreated from the attack.

"Good shot." Shouted the Doctor in relief. Surely hot water couldn't have done all that where bullets had failed.

"It was mistletoe." said Flora to the confused group. The Doctor then went to his wife and placed his hands on her face looking her over for any injury. She and the baby were fine and he kissed her on the head joyfully, before poking his head down the hallway to see after the wolf that was indeed retreating for the moment. They could not waste their extra time that they had been given to see if Sir Robert and Albert's research and planning had really paid off. Robert and Isobel together again exchanged desperate kisses, but then Robert told his wife to get back downstairs. This time she did not fight it but told her husband to keep himself safe. Rose was in debt to the woman that she had tossed off as probably not able to help in the situation, but clearly she had been proven wrong. Women did not survive this long by being weak, if anything with so many restraints against them in this time period, they would have to be tougher than they looked. She would never underestimate someone for their looks or time period again.

"Now go." Implored Robert as Isobel took charge of her group and led them back to safety.

"Girls, come with me. Down the back stairs, back to the kitchens. Quickly!" She commanded. Silently Rose wished the women good luck, as the Doctor this time with his hand firmly in Rose's pulled her on to the observatory, all the while encouraging everyone to move.

* * *

"The observatory's this way." Shouted Sir Robert as they all carried on up the stair with the now recovered werewolf gaining on them.

"No mistletoe in these doors because your father wanted the wolf to get inside. I just need time. Is there any way of barricading this?" Asked the Doctor of Sir Robert, who simply stated,

"Just do your work and I'll defend it." Noble sentiments but the Doctor did not need someone else dying and he suggested,

"If we could bind them shut with rope or something."

"I said I'd find you time, Sir. Now get inside." Said Sir Robert grimly with his mind made up. The Queen was not unmoved by his volunteering to sacrifice himself for her. The Doctor too could see that there was no other choice and stated,

"Good man." Rose stared at Sir Robert, yet another person was throwing themselves literally to the wolves for them, the guilt was building up, even if they had never asked to come here in the first place. The Doors closed the Doctor quickly went to work and asked the Queen to hand over her diamond. Defensively she asked in response,

"For what purpose?" The Doctor couldn't believe that the Queen was still being stubborn about protecting the diamond now. They'd be dead in few moments what did it matter where it was in the room that they all died in?

"The purpose it was designed for." Implored the Doctor as he held out his hand and the queen finally handed it over. The Doctor called Rose to his side and she followed him over to the giant cog they had seen earlier that controlled the raising of the telescope.

"Lift it. Come on. Exercise is good for a pregnant woman." Groaned the Doctor as he pulled the stubborn control wheel backward. Rose seeing the direction he wanted it pulled, began to push it to help him. It was not easy going and through a grimace Rose snarked,

"Is this the right time for stargazing, dear?" The Doctor in just as pained a voice said that it was.

Through the door the final words of Sir Robert were heard by the Queen,

"I committed treason for you, but now my wife will remember me with honor!" Shouted Sir Robert to the Werewolf and it was a very short fight. His dying screams were heard and Victoria held up her jet cross and prayed for the dead man's soul. They almost had the telescope raised to where the Doctor wanted it, problem was Rose didn't know that yet.

"You said this thing doesn't work." Shouted Rose, not understanding what a broken telescope would do for them.

"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is. It's a light chamber. It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just got to power it up." Explained the Doctor as he continued to pull.

"It won't work. There's no electricity." Shouted Rose not getting it. Very irritated the Doctor gestured with his head to the full moon overhead. Rose now understood what the Doctor wanted to power it up with but that still didn't make sense.

"Moonlight. But the wolf needs moonlight. It's made by moonlight." Declared Rose as she continued to push.

"Mrs. Smith, You're seventy percent water but you can still drown. Come on! Come on!" Shouted the Doctor as he pulled at the giant cog with all his might. The Wolf now done with Sir Robert was pounding away at the wooden doors as the moon finally shined down into the telescope lens and bounced between the prisms, magnifying as it went. The moon light concentrated on the ground but that was not where it was needed now. The werewolf broke in and without delay went for Queen Victoria. Seeing his chance The Doctor slid the diamond over to where the light hit the floor. It refracted upwards, catching the werewolf in its beam and lifting it up off the floor. The Queen appeared to be safe. Bathed in moonlight the wolf turned back into a young man, hanging in mid air.

"Make it brighter. Let me go." Begged the man softly, wishing his torment as a puppet of the wolf to be over. Victoria was struck with pity for the poor man as the Doctor granted the man his wish and adjusted the magnification on the eyepiece. The man then turned back into a wolf, howled and vanished. Rose let out a sigh of relief, the nightmare was over. All seemed to be settled now, but Victoria was looking at a small scratch on her wrist. This did not go unnoticed by the Doctor, who cautiously asked,

"Your Majesty? Did it bite you?"

"No, it's, it's a cut, that's all." Said the Queen dismissively.

"If that thing bit you…" Warned the Doctor, but was interrupted by the Queen,

"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart. It's nothing."

"Let me see." Insisted the Doctor. Quickly hiding her wrist from view as a child might who was caught with something they should not have declared,

"It is nothing." The Doctor was not convinced but what else could he do? He could not force her.

* * *

A lot had happened during the night. The remaining soldiers had been found unharmed but restrained in the manor. The monks realizing that their means of power was gone had dispersed and had easily been hunted down by the soldiers with the now late Sir Robert's arsenal. After that the grim task of cleaning and preparing the wolf's victims was done. Poor Lady Isobel had been devastated that despite her efforts that her husband had been killed, but at least he had died honorably defending the Queen. That he died nobly was a small comfort, she would have rather kept her husband. Therefore it was not unexpected when in the drawing room that morning, she was found with the Queen dressed in the same black of mourning. Rose had wanted to comfort the woman, but she hardly knew her and somehow a woman with a husband comforting a woman without one seemed ill appropriate. She would leave that to the Queen.

What had surprised the Doctor and Rose was the Queen's gratitude. She had not seemed to like either of them during the chase with the wolf but here she was offering them knighthoods. Who were they to complain? In the presence of the whole household, the Doctor and Rose kneeled before Queen Victoria, who armed with a sword in her bandaged hand announced that the two were to be knighted. Rose tried not to be too nervous with an old woman with an injured hand holding a sword over her head.

"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Sir Doctor of Tardis. By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Rose of the Powell Estate. You may stand." Said the Queen with all pomp and circumstance.

"Many thanks, Ma'am." Smiled the Doctor, though this was not his first knighting, but it was always nice.

"Thanks. They're never going to believe this back home." Said Rose to the Queen a bit star struck by all that was happening. She a simple girl from the Powell Estate who was now knighted and she was pretty sure would be the only Dame that would ever have lived there. Perhaps she should have given the name of where she had lived with John or even the TARDIS since it was now her home, but she wanted her mother to have something to be proud of, even if it was in secret. Looked like she finally got the Knighthood that her mother thought that she deserved though a bit earlier than expected. The Doctor was very pleased Sir Robert's father and Albert's plan had worked. He would not have been able to save anyone without their efforts. Wanting to give some words of comfort to the Queen very politely, for a change, he said,

"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving no message from the great beyond. I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now, Ma'am, from beyond the grave.

"Indeed. Then you may think on this also. That I am not amused." Announced the Queen in a voice seriously displeased.

"Yes!" Cheered Rose having won ten quid the bet, and the Doctor then frowned in slight disappointment that he lost but that didn't mean that he couldn't snog her on the jumpseat. He then grinned for Rose's success as he was going to make it his gain…well minus the ten quid.

"Not remotely amused. And henceforth I banish you." Declared the Queen in a stern and angry voice. The rest of the people in the room, especially Flora, also seemed surprised by the sudden change, but said nothing. It was not there place even if they did owe their salvation in part to this odd couple.

"I'm sorry?" Asked the Doctor, confused by the sudden change in the circumstances. Rose looked equally taken a back and stopped grinning along with the Doctor.

"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor, and now you are both exiled from this empire, never to return. As well as that frog you are carrying, Dame Rose. God have mercy on such an ill-fated thing. I don't know what you are, the two of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars and magic and think it fun. But your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death, and I will not allow it. You will leave these shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you came to stray so far from all that is good, and how much longer you, or your godforsaken offspring will survive this terrible life. Now leave my world, and never return." The Queen said condemning them with all of what she viewed was moral authority. She would not have them continue in this manner if it was in her power to do so.

The Doctor thought her ungrateful but it wasn't as if he had not been banished before. Sure at this point in time being banished from the British empire might seem like a big deal, but there was no way to enforce such a symbolic decree on two people when they had a TARDIS at their disposal. And the empire wouldn't stay big forever. Years later her very same family would welcome him with open arms. If she knew how much good he had done for her and humanity, and would continue to do, then he doubted she would try to make an enemy of him. Still he was above that and she was just not evolved enough to understand. Well he reasoned that it was only 'her world' for as long as she was alive, which for a time traveler, wasn't long at all. And he supposed that with the empire about as big as it was going to get she truly did think it her world, but how sad to think that you could or had to own the world. The Doctor and Rose then left the house standing tall arm in arm through the back door.

* * *

"Well I've never been banished before, Sir Doctor." Said Rose a bit beside herself as the two bounced along the highlands in the back of a cart they had hitched a ride with. They were being taken away from Torchwood Manor, in 'all style' it seemed after having single handedly saved the Queen from her own subjects and an empire hungry werewolf alien. Rose was very happy that the Doctor had gotten them the ride because it sure beat walking after all they had been through that night. Rose was tired as an understatement.

"I have, Dame Rose. You get used to it after the ten or twelfth time." He saw a bit of worry on Rose's face as she rubbed her stomach, and reflected on the cruel things the Queen had said about her child.

"Don't worry your head about it, Rose. I'll have you know that I'm friends with mostly all of her descendants to the Throne. Victoria always was a bit of a party pooper. And don't take what she said about our little girl to heart, she never liked any babies. She liked making them but not the aftermath. The woman wouldn't even so much as touch her babes until they were older. She thought that babies looked like nasty little frogs or something like that. Not exactly the ideal Mum either."

"How do you mean?" Asked Rose feeling a little better that at least the Doctor didn't think it something to take personally.

"Oh for example, she thought breastfeeding so vile an act that as soon as she found out that her daughter was doing it for her own child, the Queen named a Dairy cow after her daughter. Rest of her children spent most of their lives just trying to get away from her and out from under her thumb."

"Talk about a dysfunctional family." Scoffed Rose. Sure, she and her Mum had fought like cats and dogs. She had even run away from home as a youth, but despite all that they loved each other. Jackie had taken her back, the prodigal daughter, with open arms. And always went on about what a sweet baby she was and how much she loved to cuddle with her when she was a tiny baby. And Mum certainly never complained about her food supply being all but free when she was an infant except for a few bottles of formula now and then.

"Just goes to show that it doesn't matter who you are, any family can be dysfunctional or have its problems. Though to be fair to her majesty, she did have a rough up bringing too. Not that I'm making excuses for her, mind you." Said the Doctor. Rose took in a deep breath and asked,

"Are we dysfunctional, I mean we don't exactly lead a normal life… and things get rocky sometimes…dangerous too. And my Mum is mad at you a lot. I don't want to scar our child if…" The Doctor placed his finger gently on Rose's lips and replied,

"Rose, let me correct myself. Every family has its problems. It's just when there are more problems than love, caring and understanding that there is something very wrong. And normal is very relative, I mean, Time Lord families in comparison to human families, normal is a very… Never mind, we aren't conventional by either cultures standards, but we are all but starting a new normal, so it can be whatever we want it. Things are no more dangerous than any other family that travels for a living. And the point being is a family is healthy when the love isn't toxic."

"Well, I don't think our love is toxic…maybe a bit intoxicating, yeah?" Smirked Rose as she placed her hand on the Doctor's thigh only to be interrupted by the cart man shouting,

"Whoa!" to the horse pulling the cart he was steering and they were riding on back to the TARDIS.

'Well, no roll in the hay for us.' Smirked Rose to herself, not that it was easily accessed from where they were sitting in the cart. The Doctor and Rose than got off the back of the cart and walked on towards the Blue Box sitting lonely in the middle of nowhere.

"Cheers, Dougal!" Smiled the Doctor to the man steering the cart, who said,

"Walk on." The TARDIS was in sight and the Doctor let out a sigh of relief at seeing it. He had it with this era for now and at least no more blood had to be spilled in the process of kicking them out of this time period. Blood, the Doctor just realized that he might have solved a historical mystery! Which he quickly relayed to his wife.

"No, but the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood. It's historical record. She was hemophiliac. They used to call it the Royal Disease. But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it, her dad didn't have it. It came from nowhere." He mused.

"What, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Asked Rose, seeing where the Doctor was getting at.

"Well, maybe hemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism." Grinned the Doctor.

"For werewolf?" Asked Rose again in disbelief. That was quite a secret to keep from the Doctor who claimed to be friends with so many members of the Royal family throughout history.

"Could be." Said the Doctor matter-of-factly.

"Queen Victoria's a werewolf?" Asked Rose for confirmation as she tugged on the Doctor's sleeve, sure she was being had and needing to see his face for any signs of a joke. Such a disappointment that they went through all the trouble and the Werewolf still succeeded in a way.

"Could be. And her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip." Giggled the Doctor.

"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?" Inquired Rose of her so knowledgeable husband.

"Well, maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take a hundred years to mature. Might be ready by, oh, early 21st century?" Grinned the Doctor. This was impossible. Rose had grown up hearing about the Royal family her whole life. As private as they were, they couldn't be that private, could they?

"Nah, that's just ridiculous! Mind you, Princess Anne." Smirked Rose.

"I'll say no more." Grimaced the Doctor. Rose was thinking that the privacy idea could have merit.

"And if you think about it, they're very private. They plan everything in advance. They could schedule themselves around the moon. We'd never know. And they like hunting!" Laughed Rose with the feeling that came with being on the inside of a secret only could. Finally reaching the TARDIS the Doctor opened the door with his key and the two marched inside the blue box.

"They love blood sports. Oh my God, they're werewolves!" Screamed Rose in delight as the most likely truth dawned on her. The two then began howling like wolves and laughing as the Doctor started the dematerialization process for the TARDIS.

* * *

Once they were safely in the time vortex, something in the air changed it seemed. The Doctor looked over at Rose, who he had come so close to losing to an alien monster. His child had been at risk too. Rose was having thoughts of a similar line as it finally crashed on her how close they had been to dying again. Rose sat down on the jumpseat, decompressing the whole frightful event in her head. The Doctor watched a shaking Rose trying to calm herself, as a fierce protectiveness flared up in side of him, coupled with a possessive desire to hold her. He never meant to bring her into dangerous situations, they just happened every now and again. He would try harder to avoid them from now on if it could be helped. He felt almost as if he did not do this now then he would never get another chance again. Rose looked up at the Doctor from hearing the sound of his big coat hitting the floor only to see the Doctor practically on top of her. Confused she looked into his eyes dark with desire and he whispered in a husky voice,

"You won our little bet. It seems to me that I now owe you a few things, but I've got something for you in mind that is worth a lot more than 10 quid." He then encircled Rose in his arms and kissed her deeply before picking her up and carrying her off to a more comfortable place than the jumpseat. Spirits in the TARDIS were raising and Rose was feeling a lot less tired. But little could the good Doctor and his family know that on that day in time, deliberate steps were being taken to shatter his family by a Monarch scared of a world that she now knew was bigger than she thought and didn't want to accept it.

* * *

**Author's notes: ** And from here dear readers, is where I start messing with you. But don't worry too much. I could never mess with you as much as Moffat does.


End file.
